In the media
Red tape culls aids agri-efficiency
Modernised heavy vehicle access – backed by the Federal Liberal and Nationals Government, to slash agricultural industry red tape and boost business efficiencies – are a significant step closer to reality. This positive advancement will simplify and enhance the farm sector’s business operations and comes after policy agreement was reached recently between the NHVR and participating States and Territories (10 January 2018). More...
Crash sparks a major compliance operation
A crash involving a fully laden concrete truck has sparked a major compliance operation at a transport company in Rosehill (10 January 2019). More...
NatRoad outlines OSOM reform priorities
With 38 recommendations set out in the report, NatRoad says the report highlights the magnitude of changes needed to increase the efficiency of OSOM freight movements. Some of the legislative changes will feed into the review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (8 January 2019). More...
Fox Trax technology enhances safety for Linfox
Logistics transport company, Linfox, is rolling out the latest MTData in-cab technology into its Australian truck fleet. Known as Fox Trax, the technology has been incorporated into 75 per cent of its commercial vehicles to reportedly help its customers with greater visibility of stock movements while simplifying critical safety and compliance processes (8 January 2019). More...
Government study to boost freight supply chain
A company called iMOVE Australia is leading a new study that will be used to help drive efficiency improvements and cost reductions in the national freight and logistics supply chain. The study will run throughout December 2018 and January 2019 and is currently inviting input from industry and others (21 December 2018). More...
ACCC concerned by NCC’s draft recommendation on Port of Newcastle
The ACCC is extremely concerned about the potential removal of regulation of the shipping channel service at the Port of Newcastle following the release of the National Competition Council’s (NCC’s) preliminary view to recommend that the Treasurer revoke declaration of the service (19 December 2019). More...
NSW RMS to launch damaged number plate review
Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) reports it has taken action to resolve a major issue reported by Queensland heavy vehicle operators relating to damaged number plates being detected by Safe-T-Cams on New South Wales roads (18 December 2018). More...
VicRoads shares driver distraction study results
A four-year study led by the University of New South Wales with support from VicRoads and others has found that on average, drivers are distracted 45 per cent of the time (18 December 2018). More...
TCA introduces new safety application for hill descents
Transport Certification Australia (TCA) has released a new safety application through the National Telematics Framework to manage hill descents. The HDM application is available now through the National Telematics Framework here (18 December 2018). More...
Joint working group to lead accreditation reform
The NHVR and heavy vehicle industry will establish an accreditation working group to respond to a comprehensive report into heavy vehicle accreditation schemes. NHVR Executive Director of Productivity and Safety Geoff Casey said the Analysis of Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Schemes in Australia by consultant Peter Medlock provided a range of options for the future of heavy vehicle schemes (17 December 2018). More...
New SmartCap fatigue technology trial kicks off to improve heavy vehicle safety around Port of Brisbane
The Queensland Trucking Association (QTA Ltd) and Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL) has commenced a 12-month pilot of the new ‘SmartCap’ technology as part of its two-year Heavy Vehicle Safety Around Ports project. SmartCap is a wearable technology that measures fatigue. Six transport companies – with a total of 60 drivers – are participating in the pilot. More...
Linfox leads chorus of praise for Inland Rail
Linfox, set to be one of the beneficiaries of Inland Rail, led the chorus from freight and logistics parties welcoming the project’s commencement (14 December 2018). More...
NTC examining driver distraction and the Australian Road Rules
The National Transport Commission (NTC) is examining the effectiveness of the Australian Road Rules relating to driver distraction. NTC Acting Chief Executive, Dr Geoff Allan said technology could deliver benefits to road safety, however the current rules may prevent them from being fully optimised (11 December 2018). More...
Published – articles, papers, reports
NTC Newsletter - On the Road Issue 50, 18 December 2018
On the Road provides important information on the heavy vehicle industry, including the latest NHVR news and events, relevant law and policy changes, and resources to help industry members comply with the HVNL.
In practice and courts
NTC driver distraction and the Australian Road Rules
The NTC released an issues paper for public comment with the aim of further exploring questions around responsibility for driver distractions, technologies that can assist and distract from the driving task, and prescriptive versus performance-based approaches. The paper is open for comment until 14 February 2019. Submissions can be made via the NTC website. Following the receipt of submissions, the NTC will develop a discussion paper outlining possible solutions for release in June 2019.
National Heavy Vehicle Concrete Agitator Work and Rest Hours Exemption Notice 2019
This provides alternative short rest break requirements for drivers of fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles carrying pre-mixed concrete by removing short rest break requirements for drivers who have short work breaks instead. The exemption notice commenced from 1 January 2019 and will remain in place for three years. The condition that the driver must carry a copy of the exemption notice in their possession has been removed. More information can be found here.
HHVR: Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI): Round four funding
HVSI encourages applications that identify risks and seek opportunities to improve heavy vehicle safety to reduce road trauma and save lives. Applications for round four funding are open until 22 February 2019 and must be implementable and able to start in the 2019-20 financial year for completion by 30 June 2022. More information and submission guidelines can be found here.
NHVR: The New South Wales Class 3 Platform Container Exemption Notice 2018
Provides load restraint and travel conditions to improve the safe, productive and sustainable movement of items carried on flat rack and open top containers up to 4.6 metres wide and five metres high, effective from 17 December 2018. The Notice has been developed with the support of Road Freight NSW. A link to the Exemption notice can be found here. To see the Operator Guide click here.
Commonwealth Senate Consultations 2019
The policy, regulatory, taxation, administrative and funding priorities for Australian shipping
Date referred: 5 December 2018
Reporting date: 13 August 2019
AER publishes Day Ahead Auction Record Keeping Guideline
The Day Ahead Auction Record Keeping Guideline as required under the new Part 24 and 25 of the Gas Rules, commenced on November 22nd. These new rules establish a Capacity Trading Platform and a Day Ahead Auction which will commence 1 March 2019.
Legislation
Commonwealth Acts
Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018
14/12/2018 - Act No. 163 of 2018
Part 2—Regulation of road vehicles and road vehicle components.
Expand Part 3—Recalls of road vehicles or approved road vehicle components.
Expand Part 4—Compliance and enforcement.
Gazetted
04/01/2019 - This Notice exempts certain categories of Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) with a total mass exceeding 40t from complying with certain specifications of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation (the National VS Regulation).
Commenced 4 January 2019.
21/12/2018 - The purpose of this Notice is to provide alternative short rest break requirements for drivers of fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles carrying pre-mixed concrete by removing short rest break requirements for drivers who have short work breaks instead.
Commenced 1 January 2019.
Heavy Vehicle National Law - New South Wales Class 3 Platform Container Exemption Notice 2018 (No.1)
17/12/2018 - The purpose of the exemptions in this Notice is to allow heavy vehicle combination carrying loads on platform containers to travel to and from port facilities while carrying imported or goods for export without having to unload and reload in order to comply with prescribed mass and dimension requirements. Commenced 17 December 2018.
New South Wales
Regulations and other miscellaneous instruments
Passenger Transport (General) Amendment (Drivers’ Authorities) Regulation 2018 (2018-782) - Published LW 21 December 2018
The object of this Regulation is to ensure the criteria applying to applicants for an authorisation to drive a public passenger vehicle are consistent for both applicants holding a NSW licence and applicants holding a licence from another State or internal Territory.
