ALRTA News – 26 June 2020

THANK YOU TO OUR NATIONAL SPONSOR
GOODYEAR

*ALRTA Members are entitled to a 10% discount off regular cash prices on commercial tyres at participating Beaurepaires stores.
Discount does not apply to products on promotion or other specials. Offer applies to cash transactions only and commercial tyres.   

HVNL REFORM OPTIONS RELEASED

The National Transport Commission has released a consultation regulatory impact statement (RIS) which examines options for reforming the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL). The RIS has considered feedback contained in more than 250 formal submissions and 350 informal submissions during the initial consultation phase in 2019 and early 2020.
 
ALRTA lodged a comprehensive submission containing 108 recommendations.
 
Key themes raised by industry related to access, fatigue, assurance, PBS and technology. Governments were primarily focused on adaptive regulation, understanding risk, technology and data.ALRTA is currently digesting the options put forward in the RIS but is pleased that:

  • It is recognised that the driving task and operating environment differs between urban, regional and remote areas;
  • Livestock transport is recognised as having different needs and presenting different risks than other tasks;
  • There are options included to expand the chain of responsibility;
  • There are options for consolidating class 2 and class 3 vehicle types for road access purposes;
  • Additional space for a sleeper cabin is considered;
  • A remote area zone in which risks and rules may be different is proposed;
  • More flexible fatigue rules and simpler counting methods are examined; 
  • Increasing GML to CML for all operators is considered;
  • Increasing general access length from 19m to 20m is considered; and
  • There are options for improving access decision making processes.
Possible Australian Remote Zone. 

Understandably the RIS contains a lot of detail, including several alternative options in each potential area of reform. The consultation RIS does not however include a cost-benefit analysis which is expected to be part of decision RIS once the 40+ options have been narrowed down.

The RIS can be accessed here.

If you would like to discuss the options contained in the RIS please contact your state association or the ALRTA Secretariat on (02) 6247 5434 or mathew@alrta.org.au

LARGE SCALE CHARGING REFORM PILOT

The Australian Government has completed a small scale trial of telematics-based charging and is now preparing to commence a large scale trial.  
 
The Small Scale On-Road Trial started in July 2019 and finished in January 2020.  A total of twelve heavy vehicle operators participated, contributing 259 vehicles. Trial participants collectively operated across all states and territories and included buses and rigid and articulated trucks. Telematics service providers collected monthly vehicle trip distance, fuel consumption and location data.  The trial tested whether telematics devices already installed in the participating vehicles could measure mass (weight) and distance effectively.
 
Key lessons learned

  • The trial demonstrated that gathering distance and location data is feasible and can be done efficiently through an automated Application Programming Interface using telematics service providers’ open source databases.
  • Extraction of fuel consumption data from participants’ systems and recording of configuration data by participants was difficult. Workable supplier solutions will need to be found for the large scale trial.
  • Under the mock charge rate schedule used in the small scale trial, some participants, including line haul operators and operators of fuel efficient bus fleets found they may pay more under a mass‒distance charge than under PAYGO. The large scale trial will test alternative charging rates.
  • Data collection methods used by the Department were labour intensive and not feasible on a large scale. A database automating the process should be developed for the large scale trial.
  • Regular, face to face or individualised engagement with stakeholders was proven to be the most effective way to engage with the heavy vehicle industry.
  • Trial communications materials were well received but could have better explained the trial context and used clearer language to explain mock charges incurred by participants. 

The large scale trial will commence soon. To hear about the trial from industry participants, click anywhere on the image below.

Operators talk about the charging trials. Click anywhere on the image above.

NEW VICTORIAN ROAD SAFETY MINISTER

ALRTA congratulates the Hon. Ben Carroll on being appointed as the Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Minister Carroll was previously a lawyer admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria and an Adviser to Victorian Premier Steve Bracks and Federal Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy. He has held Ministerial portfolios in Industry, Employment, Crime Prevention, Corrections, Youth Justice, Victim Support and Public Transport.


Image: Victorian Roads and Road Safety Minister, the Hon Ben Carroll.

ELECTION RESULTS: LRTASA AGM

ALRTA congratulates the following office bearers elected at the LRTASA AGM on 26 June 2020:

  • President: Frank Tedesco
  • Vice President: Xavier Bienke
  • Vice President: Scott Quinn
  • Treasurer/Secretary: Hayley Masson

ALRTA acknowledges the enormous contribution of outgoing President David Smith over many years. We know this will continue in David’s new role as ATA Chair.

AMPC RELEASES STRATEGIC PLAN

The Australian Meat Procession Corporation (AMPC) has released a five-year strategic plan 2020-25. The AMPC is comprised of levy-paying red meat processors and has a primary interest in research and development and marketing activities.


 
The strategic plan is underpinned by a $200m investment in:

  1. Advanced manufacturing;
  2. Sustainability;
  3. People and Culture;
  4. Technical Market Access; and
  5. Product & Process Integrity.

For more information click here.

ACCREDITATION TRANSITIONS TO PORTAL

All NHVAS applications and transactions will be required to be lodged via the NHVR Portal from Wednesday, July 1.
 
The NHVR Portal provides operators with the ability to manage all their NHVAS records, including submitting an application, managing account information, reviewing application status, reviewing driver and vehicle lists and tracking audit associated responsibilities.
 
Existing NHVR Portal users who have an Access, Registration or Vehicle Standards account can continue to use the existing NHVR Portal administrators on the account.
 
Additional Accreditation contacts can be added to the account with ‘User submitter’ permissions.
 
If your members need assistance in setting up an account or transitioning to the NHVR Portal, please visit the NHVR Portal Help Centre – Getting started using Accreditation or contact our Call Centre on 1300 696 487.
 
Applications can also be sent via post or fax where a digital platform is unavailable.

$1.5B INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

In response to economic impacts from COVID-19, the Australian Government announced a $1.5 billion package of infrastructure investment.  This investment is part of the Australian Government’s $100 billion, 10-year infrastructure pipeline, which is laying the foundations of a financial bridge for COVID-19 recovery.
 
Two important elements of the program include:
 
$1b for Shovel Ready Projects
 
$500m for Targeted Road Safety Works
 
Click on the links above to view projects near you.

NTI  – CRASH REPORT A WARNING FOR SCHOOL HOLIDAY ROAD USERS

Australians hitting the road for the first school holidays since travel restrictions eased are being urged to take extra caution behind the wheel, with many of us planning our first long drive in months.

NTI’s National Truck Accident Research Centre has for the first time analysed the way fatal crashes involving a car and truck occur, after it found in 80 per cent of these collisions, the car driver was at fault.

Almost half of fatal crashes involving a car and truck (48%) were head on collisions from opposite directions, close to a third (29%) were T-bone crashes and 11% involved vehicles travelling in the same direction.

Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory school holidays start Friday 26 June. The remaining States and Territories holiday break begins next Friday (3 July).

Read the full report here.

FRIDAY FUNNY

Little Sam, while at a neighbor’s, was given a piece of bread and butter, and politely said “Thank you.”

“That’s right, Sam,” said the woman. “I like to hear little boys say ‘thank you’.”

“Well,” said Sam. “If you want to hear me say it again you might put some jam on it.”

ALRTA STAFF AVAILABILITY AMIDST COVID19

From 24 March 2020 the ALRTA staff – Mathew, Sue, Colleen and Jack have been working from home amidst COVID-19. We are gradually coming back into the office with only one staff member present at a time.

Please email office@alrta.org.au or call Colleen on the ALRTA mobile 0490 515 681 or Mathew (ED) on 0421 082 489.

UPDATE ON EVENTS FOR 2020

LRTAQ (QLD) on 19-21 March 2020 at Roma QLD. – CANCELLED for 2020
LTAT (TAS) on 2 May 2020 in Hobart TAS. – POSTPONED
LRTASA (SA)on 12-13 June 2020 at Adelaide Entertainment Centre SA. – CANCELLED for 2020
LRTAWA/ALRTA (WA & National) on 24-25 July 2020. Perth WA.- CANCELLED for 2020
LRTAV (VIC) on 14-15 August 2020 at All Seasons Resort Bendigo VIC – CANCELLED for 2020