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INDUSTRY NEWS ... UPDATES & ARCHIVES | |
On the Road. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator Industry NewsletterIssue 73 - 27 November 2019 (opens in new window)
Issue 72 - 12 November 2019 (opens in new window)
Issue 71 - 29 October 2019 (opens in new window)
Issue 70 - 14 October 2019 (opens in new window)
Issue 69 - 30 September 2019 (opens in new window)
Issue 68 - 16 September 2019 (opens in new window)
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Australian Trucking Association TRUCKING INDUSTRY UNITES TO REJECT TAX INCREASE [20 November 2019] Australia’s trucking operators have unanimously and emphatically rejected a proposal to dramatically increase the truck fuel tax and registration charges. The trucking industry reached the decision at the meeting of the Australian Trucking Association General Council today, ahead of a transport ministers’ meeting on Friday. At the meeting, ministers will consider increasing the truck fuel tax and registration charges by 11.8 per cent over three years – equivalent to a 3 cent per litre increase in fuel tax and a $734 increase in registration charges for a prime mover and semi-trailer. ATA Chair Geoff Crouch said that any increase in taxes and charges would have a devastating effect on the small and family businesses that make up the vast majority of the industry. “The trucking industry already pays too much for our use of the roads, as the independent government agency that advises on these charges has conceded. “For example, the projected over-recovery for 2018-19 was $189.5 million –money that trucking operators should have been able to use to employ more staff and buy new equipment. “Our members would be trying to recover these extra taxes and charges from their customers at a time when rural and regional Australia is suffering from an extreme drought, and urban trucking operators are struggling to deal with governments’ failure to regulate toll road and port access charges. “That’s why the trucking industry is calling on transport ministers to reject the proposed increase. “Ridiculously, officials have told us that we will be consulted about the increase after the meeting. There’s no point in holding consultations after a decision is made, so we are working flat out to get the right result for industry now,” he said. The ATA and its member associations collectively represent the 50,000 business and 200,000 people in the Australian trucking industry. Together, the ATA and its members are committed to safety, professionalism and viability. The resolution is below. Media contact: Emily Mills | 02 6253 6900 | 0417 211 441 | emily.mills@truck.net.au HEAVY VEHICLE CHARGES That the ATA General Council— 1. Reminds governments that the existing heavy vehicle charging system has long overcharged trucking businesses, with the National Transport Commission projecting a $189.5 million over-recovery of charges for 2018-19. 2. Reminds governments that large areas of Australia are in drought conditions and that rural and regional Australia is reliant on cost effective road freight transport. 3. Reminds governments that urban road freight transport operators have experienced very large increases in toll road and port access charges, without any effective regulatory response. 4. Affirms its previous position that trucking operators should not be overcharged. 5. Notes with extreme concern that transport ministers are set to consider a proposal that would increase heavy vehicle charges by a further 11.8 per cent over three years. 6. Notes that there has been no consultation with industry about the proposal -- which is totally unacceptable -- and that any consultation they hold after the meeting is against the principles of fair and due process. 7. Warns that the vast majority of trucking businesses are small and family businesses and do not have the capacity to pass on fuel tax and registration charge increases. 8. Calls on transport ministers to emphatically reject the proposed increase. Moved: Denis Robertson Seconded: David Smith CARRIED BY ACCLAMATION ATA WELCOMES EXTRA HOUR FOR PERSONAL USE The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has welcomed a move from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to expand the personal use exemption for drivers operating under Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) and Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM). The ATA and its member associations collectively represent the 50,000 business and 200,000 people in the Australian trucking industry. Together, we are committed to safety, professionalism and viability. The exemption was first introduced in 2018 for drivers on standard hours, with the new extension to allow truck drivers operating under BFM and AFM to use their trucks for a short extra period during their 24-hour stationary rest break. “This means that BFM and AFM drivers will now have the flexibility to refuel their truck, run errands or wash their truck during their 24-hour break,” ATA CEO Ben Maguire said. “The flexibility will particularly benefit drivers who have to take their rest break away from home and have no other vehicle they can use to get into town to run errands. “Importantly, the extra hour cannot be used for commercial purposes such as driving a truck to a mechanic for repairs,” he said. The extension follows calls from the ATA to treat drivers like humans, not machines. It comes as welcome news and a positive step towards more flexible fatigue management. “The ATA is fully supportive of any initiative that will improve the quality of life and wellbeing of Australia’s truck drivers – those who keep our country moving,” he said. In its submission to the Heavy Vehicle National Law review issues paper on effective fatigue management, the ATA called for a number of additional flexible fatigue management solutions, including easier to use work diaries, a length incentive for operators that fit wider sleeper cabs, and an extra hour to get home for drivers using the ATA’s new version of standard hours. View the ATA’s Effective Fatigue Management submission REDUCE AUDITS, IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY [16th September, 2019 / Australian Trucking Association] Reduced audits and independent accreditation are critical to improving trucking safety and productivity, Chair of the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), Geoff Crouch, said today. | |
MEDIA & UPDATES FROM OTHER INDUSTRY SOURCES | |
IMPROVED ACCESS ON NEWELL HIGHWAY FOR 36.5m LONG VEHICLES communication from RMS - 29 October, 2019
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FACT SHEET ... | |
Truck drivers should be routinely tested for SLEEP APNOEA
It is for this reason the licensing authorities want to know about sleep apnoea.
Sleep apnoea affects people differently.
📰Recent Guardian article on Sleep Apnoea and driving
👨✈️VicRoads information on reporting medical conditions.
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NHVAS Business Rule & Standards ... August 2019 changes |
Incident Information Release - 6 August 2019 |
NHVR MOVES AGAINST CUSTOMER COR OVERREACTION
Regulator and SARTA toll bell on big firm misconception burdens
"This level of information is not required by a customer or primary contractor under the law.
The customer is likely to have influence and control over:
Correctly declaring the mass of the freight to the transport operator.
Click here to view the latest NatRoad news - https://www.natroad.com.au/news/
Click here to view the latest LBCA news - http://lbrca.org.au/category/news/
Click here to view the latest ALRTA news - http://alrta.org.au/category/media-releases/
Click here to view the ATA's Friday Facts - http://www.truck.net.au/public/newsletters/friday-facts