Industry Issues

Dropping Trailers in Wagga

A news story this week about trucking operators dropping trailers in Wagga is one which could be repeated all over the country. The drastic lack of decent and safe facilities where trailers can be left during changeovers is a national problem, illustrated here in a major transport hub. The story in Wagga’s Daily Advertiser this week tells of local demands in the city for a specialist truck parking bay after locals raised serious safety concerns. According to the story there are no truck parking bays in the city, now trailers are being left in various areas, many in unsuitable locations.
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Improving Permit Turn Around Times

State road managers improving permit turn around times has been welcomed by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. The latest results show the state authorities have been able to significantly improve the turn around time for heavy vehicle class 1, 2 and 3 permit applications. “Data released by the NHVR showed 226 class 2 permits beyond the 28 days in March, but a targeted effort by state road managers has reduced this number to just 50 in the most recent quarter,” said Sal Petroccitto, NHVR CEO. “VicRoads in particular needs to be congratulated for reducing the number of outstanding permits from 93 in the January-to-March quarter, down to 6 in the April-to-June period.
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Freight Monitoring Trial in Victoria

A freight monitoring trial in Victoria, which pairs in-vehicle technology systems with VicRoads data is hoped to help trucks and heavy vehicles better navigate Victoria’s road networks, and at the same time improve efficiencies for operators and safety for drivers. The VicRoads Innovative Freight Road Trials will include technology from Navman Wireless Australia and Vehicle Monitoring Corporation (VMC). It will help to divert trucks away from low bridges and other vulnerable parts of the network, as well as help to ensure that vehicles carrying dangerous goods are operating safety.
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Road Ahead for the NTC

A plan laying out the road ahead for the NTC (National Transport Commission) has been published this week. It includes the new NTC work program to tackle Australia’s biggest emerging transport challenges. According to the NTC, the includes bolder and more strategic projects designed to identify and address the transport problems of the future. Paul Retter, NTC CEO, is quoted as saying there is little point waiting for transport problems to occur before taking action.
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Dangerous Goods Code Changes

Proposed changes to the Dangerous Goods Code have been released by the National Transport Commission. The proposed improvements to the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail have been published in order to get feedback from the industry. According to Paul Retter, NTC CEO, the proposed Code include changes to help align it with the latest UN recommendations (UN19), specific Australian changes and improvements to rules governing the transport of dangerous goods in limited qualities amounts, as approved in-principle by the Ministerial Council in 2015.
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New Driver License Check System

A new driver license check system has been introduced by Duncan Gay, NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight. The new set up allows operators to check multiple licence and demerit point status at one time.
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Cattle Carter Life in Photos

A young photographer and cattle carter have been on the road with a livestock road train and captured spectacular images of life on the road in Queensland and the Northern Territory hauling six decks of cattle. Here is their story:
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Fixing Road Charging for the Trucking Industry

The whole issue of fixing road charging for the trucking industry pays in rego, or some other form of tax, is again up for discussion. The National Transport Commission has a discussion paper out at the moment asking for submissions from stakeholders about the way the trucking industry pays for the wear and tear it creates on our road system. Currently, the NTC asks governments what monies they spend each year on road repairs and maintenance and then divvies the amount up between the different trucks and trailers using the roads. This gives them an amount of rego to be charged for each vehicle and a level of fuel subsidy. This is designed to come up with the figure originally given by governments.
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