ALRTA News – 21 August 2020

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ALRTA OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER


 

The modern trucking industry needs to be across a wide variety of subject areas, all the way from the latest truck technologies, high tech telematics, changes to rules around subjects such as fatigue, accreditation and access, plus what’s in the pipeline in the future for our industry. The magazine and website now include our Rural Trucking Matters section, including articles relevant to rural trucking, with contributions from the ALRTA and LBRCA.

To sign up and get your free copy of Diesel Magazine click here

LATEST ON BORDER CONTROLS

ALRTA participated in a high-level industry-government meeting today and we understand that:

  • Victoria will issue an official clarification that asymptomatic truck drivers do not need to self-quarantine while awaiting test results.
  • New South Wales has collected information via an industry survey concerning the preferred location of sites. Two major new sites will be announced soon but opening hours will initially be restricted due to the difficulty in sourcing qualified clinicians. Additional sites and extended opening hours will follow.
  • South Australia has established a low-capacity pop-up testing facility in Bordertown. Discussions are ongoing with police and the health department to establish a higher capacity site nearby with longer opening hours. This may take up to two weeks.
  • Positive interstate driver test reports will be coordinated through the health system (not NHVR as initially specified in the Freight Movement Code).
  • The code will not come into force over the weekend (most likely progressively across states during next week).

Members can access the latest official information on border controls via NHVR here.

TRUCKSAFE EXPLAINED

Shanahan’s Livestock Transport: “We are accredited under NHVAS but have found that a lot of the TruckSafe standards allowed us to do things better.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Transport Manager Peter Callanan says TruckSafe accreditation allows Shanahan’s Livestock Transport to show customers they are reducing risks through safe work practices, safe and well-maintained trucks, healthy drivers and sound management systems.

Shanahan’s Livestock Transport has been a member of TruckSafe since 2016, demonstrating a commitment to safety and upholding best-practice compliance standards.

Find out more or join today: www.trucksafe.com.au

HAVE A SAY ON EFFLUENT DISPOSAL IN NSW

ALRTA has secured funding to establish roadside effluent disposal facilities. We have already established a site at Horsham Victoria and have now turned our attention to NSW.
 
Please help us by completing a very short survey to find preferred sites in NSW.
 
Click here to participate.

GRAIN TRUCK BOOK

The Grain Transport Safety Network has developed a comprehensive Truck Book to help ensure that trucks are loaded within legal mass limits.  Implementing the ATA/ALC Master Code, the GTSN Truck Book is to guide loaders and unloaders, transport operators and drivers to accurately identify the mass requirements applying to bulk grain trucks.

TRUCK TRAVEL TIMES IMPROVE IN COVID

The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) has released an information sheet which provides estimates of the impact of COVID-19 on freight vehicle travel times for selected routes in major cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide).
 
The results show no significant change in freight traffic volumes, however vehicles experienced shorter and more predictable travel times.  To read more click here.

MENTALLY HEALTHY WORKPLACES

The Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance (MHWA) has engaged some consultants from Ernst and Young to do some research around the concepts within the developing National Wellness Initiative (NWI). They are keen to talk to a variety of businesses, especially in the smaller states and territories, being Tasmania and the Northern Territory. 
 
If you are located here and interested in contributing to the conversation and research into mentally health workplaces, please contact Erica Crome at erica.crome@mentalhealthcommission.gov.au  

AHA/ALRTA BIOSECURITY PROJECT – SURVEY 

Livestock transporters play a significant role in day to day biosecurity and are on the forefront when it comes to minimising the risk of livestock disease spread, particularly during an emergency animal disease response!

ALRTA have been working with Biosecurity Queensland and Animal Health Australia to determine what biosecurity information our members require and how it is best communicated.

All transporters who complete the survey will go into a draw to win a 60L Engel fridge freezer, compliments of ALRTA and AHA, valued at $1899! Let us know your thoughts.

INTEGRITY SYSTEMS WEBINAR SHARES RESOURCES & TIPS

Members of the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association were offered practical tips to help the livestock industry ‘stand by what it sells’ at a webinar last month … ahead of this year’s spring selling season.
 
The Stand By What You Sell webinar series was hosted by Integrity Systems Company, with ALRTA as presentation partner.


Click on the picture above to watch the webinar for ALRTA, along with additional resources and links

The webinar assists producers to ensure they have their record keeping in order, with key points covering:

  • How the integrity system fits within compliance requirements, such as work, health and safety; management of fatigue, effluent and curfew; as well as fit to load requirements.
  • Changes to National Vendor Declarations
  • Waybill compliance … do you need a physical or hard copy? What does the faster, easier new eNVD platform mean for transporters?
  • Q&A with the Integrity Systems Company team

 The webinar caters for all levels of knowledge and experience, providing an update and refresher for all transporters as well as practical tips.
 
For more information, visit the ISC website

INDUSTRY CALLS FOR MORE REST AREAS

Before a parliamentary inquiry this week, the ATA called for more truck rest areas, better safety technologies, and independent, no-blame safety investigations. 

READ THE FULL STORY

GET INVOLVED IN HVNL REVIEW

The NTC is making it easier to have your say on the proposals to reform the HVNL.
 
The consultation regulation impact statement (RIS) is the key document at this phase of the review. It includes over 40 reform options to improve the HVNL.  If you would like to make a formal submission on the RIS, visit ntc.gov.au.
 
NTC also recognises that the RIS is long and technical, so they’ve developed a complementary document (HVNL 2.0) to inform your submission on the RIS.
 
Feel free to send the NTC short-form feedback on topics of interest or relevance to you. 
 
ALRTA is currently consulting with member associations on the RIS options and will prepare a comprehensive formal submission.

MEETING NOTICE: ALRTA AGM

Members are advised that the ALRTA AGM will be held via Zoom on 18 September 2020.  An agenda, papers and a number of special resolutions concerning proposed constitutional changes will be circulated ahead of the meeting.
 
For more information please contact the ALRTA Secretariat on (02) 6247 5434 or office@alrta.org.au

FRIDAY FUNNY

Teacher: “If I gave you 2 cats and another 2 cats and another 2, how many would you have?”
Johnny: “Seven.”
Teacher: “No, listen carefully… If I gave you two cats, and another two cats and another two, how many would you have?”
Johnny: “Seven.”
Teacher: “Let me put it to you differently. If I gave you two apples, and another two apples and another two, how many would you have?”
Johnny: “Six.”
Teacher: “Good. Now if I gave you two cats, and another two cats and another two, how many would you have?”
Johnny: “Seven!”
Teacher: “Johnny, where in the heck do you get seven from?!”
Johnny: “Because I’ve already got a cat!”

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

LRTAWA Industry day on 19 September 2020 – Burswood on Swan – Perth WA.

Click on the image to go to registration page

LTAT (TAS) in Hobart TAS – POSTPONED