ALRTA News – 30 January 2024


2024 Rural Transport Rising Star

Nominations Closing Friday This Week

ALRTA and PowerTorque magazine are once again searching for a star, a
Rural Transport Rising Star for 2024.

With entries closing this week, and great prizes up for grabs, nominate now!

The award is proudly supported by ALRTA National Partner bp, and is an initiative to celebrate and reward the young people building the rural transport industry of the future.

The award will be presented at the LRTAQ/ALRTA Combined Conference in Toowoomba on March 21 2024.

Click here to find out more and nominate.


ALRTA Executive Director Update

Welcome to my second weekly ED update of the year. I hope everyone had a restful long weekend.  
As it always is, January has proven to be busier than expected but the team is fully back on deck and busy planning for National Council meeting on Friday 2 February 2024 and the National Combined Conference in partnership with LRTAQ in Toowoomba on 21 – 23 March 2024.  

In exciting news PACCAR has signed up as a National Partner with ALRTA again for 2024. We are excited to continue this long standing partnership with them and look forward to bringing some exciting initiatives on board in 2024.  

Speaking of partnerships, we are very close to securing some new national partners, please watch this space. I’m always open to discussing potential partner prospects and welcome feedback in this area. It would be great to secure some partnerships that can support business operations including finance, payroll, contracts etc. If you have ideas and contacts, please reach out.  

It’s been a busy week on the advocacy front, particularly related to IR reform, ‘Closing Loopholes Bill’ before parliament. ALRTA is against the setting of rates for road transport and is continuing to advocate in partnership with other transport bodies against this proposed reform.  

Federal Parliament recommences sitting from 6 February, it looks to be an interesting couple of months ahead of the May 2024 budget. There is obviously a significant amount of public discourse on the rolling back of Stage 3 tax reform and Prime Minister Albanese is set to embark on a tour of Australia’s regions to defend his government’s decision.  

Cost of living remains front of mind for many Australians, both individuals and businesses alike. This will form the basis of most social and economic policy as the government attempts to wrangle inflation. It will be important for ALRTA to continue to advocate for rural and regional transport businesses, demonstrating the significant increases in business costs associated with fuel, wages, insurances and other costs born by regulatory requirements. It will be a critical year leading up to a Federal election.  

Next week I’m off to Sydney to meet with Gavin Hill from TCA on telematics regulation and potential partnership opportunities, Goulburn to attend the Transport Women Australia Ltd event hosted by Divall’s Bulk Haulage and then later in the week I will be in Bendigo to meet with Senator Bridget McKenzie as part of a Heavy Vehicle Stakeholder Roundtable.  

A BIG REMINDER: Nominations for Rural Transport Rising Star Award close this Friday. Please send your nominations through, the winner will receive up to $5,000 towards professional development and two finalists will travel to Toowoomba for the ALRTA LRTAQ Combined Conference. This great initiative in partnership with Power Torque and bp, is in its second year and provides an opportunity to acknowledge and promote the contributions of those who are up and coming in our sector.  

I look forward to providing an update in next week’s news. 

Until then, stay safe. 

Rach  


NHVR National Network Map

The NHVR launched the National Network Map on 20 December 2023. For the first-time operators can view where they can travel, and where they need to seek access approval, on a national level.

The National Network Map is available on the NHVR website or through your NHVR Portal account. 

View the instructional video.


NHVR survey finds 60% of caravanners have used truck-specific rest areas

A recent survey by the NHVR of 1000 Australian drivers revealed how caravanners have a lack of understanding of how to share the road with trucks.

The survey showed that 60% of caravanners have parked in a truck-specific rest area, and 22% are doing so often. 

This information has led the ATA to join truck drivers in stressing to caravanners the potential hazards associated with parking in these stops, including the possible disruption of crucial fatigue breaks.

“Fatigue is one of the most serious factors affecting safety and vehicle crashes on our roads,” ATA CEO Mathew Munro says in ATA’s weekly Friday Facts newsletter.


Tipper Body Design Code Extension

The J4 Tipper Body Design Code was introduced in the NHVR Vehicle Standards Bulletin 6 (VSB6) in early 2023.

Section J – Body Mounting provides standards for tippers in relation to hydraulic systems, warning devices and general safety.

The transitional period allowing the use of either the new J4 Code or the former J1 Code is now extended to 1 July 2024.

Find out more.


Interested in Saleyards at Moree, NSW?

Moree Plains Shire Council is seeking expressions of interest from applicants who may be interested in leasing or purchasing the Moree Livestock Selling Centre (Saleyards) at Moree, NSW. 

Find out more.


Save the dates for 2024

  • LBRCA – 23-24 February 2024 – WAGGA WAGGA NSW
  • LRTAQ/ALRTA National Combined Conference – 21-22 March 2024 – TOOWOOMBA QLD
  • LRTASA – May 31 – 1 June 2024 – ADELAIDE SA
  • LRTAWA – 3 August 2024 – WA
  • LRTAV – 16-17 August 2024 – SHEPPARTON VIC