TruckSafe is the Australian Trucking Association’s industry focused chain of responsibility (CoR) safety management system, or SMS, that is aimed at improving the safety and professionalism of trucking operators across Australia, and soon also in New Zealand.
TruckSafe was set up in 1996 in response to government concerns over what the road transport industry was doing to improve safety. Now almost 30 years on, the program is recognised by a growing list of well-known consignors and prime contractors.
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I signed my business up to TruckSafe back in 2001 and have not looked back. In fact, I joined the TruckSafe board many years ago and was privileged to be voted in as Chair in 2021.
Together we developed and released the first and only industry-led comprehensive safety management system in 2024. We also introduced an owner-driver SMS, specifically designed for the one person businesses that comprise close to 60 per cent of industry operators.
Moving to a safety management system allows a business to break away from a restrictive, reactive-based compliance approach and adopt a flexible and proactive risk-based approach which can be tailored to its size and risks.
For me, the new TruckSafe SMS is a game changer. Not only are TruckSafe members using best practice methods for the identification and management of CoR, but they also have the flexibility to create and use policies, procedures, and processes that suit their business activities rather than the one size fits all approach used by traditional compliance-based schemes.
I believe that the TruckSafe SMS is world class when it comes to assisting businesses with meeting their CoR obligations.
Our members attain certification based on satisfying a set of core components and their associated elements to assist their business to operate safely and responsibly.
Certification is achieved and maintained through independent audits and adherence to the TruckSafe Codes of Conduct.
The TruckSafe board and I are excited about the introduction of TruckSafe in New Zealand. Working alongside the Australian Trucking Association and the New Zealand Trucking Association, we have a long-standing collaboration on TruckSafe and safety within the road transport industry in both countries.
Currently, New Zealand’s road freight sector lacks an industry-wide system driving compliance with transport rules and regulations. While overall compliance is high in NZ, it is mainly driven by operator goodwill and an enforcement model targeting non-compliance.
There is no widely adopted heavy vehicle safety accreditation or certification scheme in New Zealand that incentivises safety, ensures compliance, and recognises good practice.
The impending release of TruckSafe’s SMS in New Zealand will enhance performance and safety outcomes for the entire industry. Certification to this system will not only improve safety and professionalism but will also provide business owners with the peace of mind that they are safeguarding their people, clients, and operations by meeting the highest standards.
There is a growing list of companies eager to join TruckSafe, and the highly skilled TruckSafe Industry Council comprising experienced industry operators will ensure the program in New Zealand is robust, practical and fit for purpose.
TruckSafe will be open to New Zealand members in the first half of 2025 with the website already accepting expressions of interest at trucksafe.net.nz. Companies that register will be amongst the first to know when the program officially launches.
Meanwhile, the alignment of the SMS documents and supporting templates with New Zealand’s legislative and regulatory framework is taking place along with the creation of a highly trained independent auditor network.
If you’d like to learn more about TruckSafe, I’d encourage you to visit trucksafe.com.au in Australia or trucksafe.net.nz in New Zealand.
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