Information Bulletin.
29 August 2008

The Build-up Shows it’s Face

Forwarders report a notable slowdown in freight movements into the Northern Territory in the last couple of weeks.

Transport is generally the first indicator of a slowing economy so take note

One factor of course may be the appearance of the first build up clouds on the horizon and the sudden exodus south of the annual grey nomad migration that arrives at the beginning of the dry season each year.

But the early signs this year are that it could be a good time for truckers to look carefully at future investment with this in mind (just a thought).

Trucksafe 2008 - Now Available

The latest edition of the TruckSafe Implementation Kit, TruckSafe 2008 will shortly be available from ATA NT

The new 2008 kit includes new standards to ensure that its operators remain at the forefront of safety and best practice.

TruckSafe operators will be audited against the new standards from 1 January 2009.

Operators will then be able to provide independently-audited proof to enforcement agencies and their customers that:

• their staff have an adequate knowledge of speed limiter technology;
• their staff are trained to maintain reasonable and legal trip schedules;
• their staff are trained to detect speed limiter tampering;
• they provide equipment or software to adjust and lock the settings on their speed limiters; and
• they have management systems to ensure that their staff carry out the TruckSafe speed management requirements,”

TruckSafe 2008 will also include a voluntary compliance module on mass management. TruckSafe operators who meet the standards in the module will comply with the mass management standards under the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme.

The mass management module includes everything that trucking companies need to meet the standards, including guidelines, examples and sample forms.

Future releases of TruckSafe 2008 will include similar modules on fatigue management and compliance with the Retail Logistics Supply Chain Code of Conduct.

“Operators may have to change how they run their business. But the results are outstanding:

• Independent statistics show that TruckSafe operators are twice as safe as non-accredited operators. It’s no wonder that Australia’s leading truck insurer, NTI, offers special insurance benefits to TruckSafe operators.
• TruckSafe operators meet the environmental criteria to get fuel tax credits from the Australia Taxation Office.
• TruckSafe accreditation proves your safety and reliability to the industry’s major customers. They now have chain of responsibility obligations; many now insist on hiring accredited operators.”

Note: For more details about how to get started with TruckSafe 2008, contact ATA NT .

Motor Vehicle Registry Information Bulletin on OH&S

MVR says most states aim to implement the new driver fatigue legislation on 29 th September 2008, however, the Northern Territory (NT) is not expected to be in a position to introduce the new laws before the end of 2009.

But current Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) obligations for operators and drivers under the NT Workplace Health and Safety Act will continue to apply. http://www.worksafe.nt.gov.au/docs/ql_legislation.pdf

But they recommend complying with the national regulations by adopting one of the National Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue options to ensure:

• operators are meeting their OH&S obligations in the NT;

• demonstrated compliance with interstate laws when crossing borders, and

• a smooth transition into the new road transport laws when they are introduced in the NT.

More at: http://www.nt.gov.au/transport/mvr/nhvas/index.shtml

Standard Hours; web link: http://www.nt.gov.au/transport/mvr/vehiclestandards/infobulletins/ibv71.pdf

Basic Fatigue Management (BFM); web link: http://www.nt.gov.au/transport/mvr/vehiclestandards/infobulletins/ibv72.pdf

Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM) link: http://www.nt.gov.au/transport/mvr/vehiclestandards/infobulletins/ibv73.pdf

Who will it affect ?

The new fatigue laws will apply to drivers of all Regulated Heavy Vehicles. With a GVM) over 12 tonnes and buses with more than 12 seats, including the driver. The laws do not cover plant items (machines or implements) or motor homes.

ATA CEO Stuart St Clair in Darwin.

The ATA chief pointed out to delegates at a conference on northern Australia in Darwin last week that the main transport artery of the NT’s road freight system is the Stuart Highway, which carries more than 390,000 tonnes of fuel a year and 133,000 head of live cattle per year to the port of Darwin

He said a major item carried on the highway is retail freight

He called for:

• More and longer overtaking lanes between Darwin and Katherine
• More truck rest areas
• Level crossing upgrades

Stuart rightly pointed out that inexperienced motorists share the road with road trains and long defence convoys in the NT.

and the fact that road accidents are sometimes caused by failed overtaking attempts

He told conference delegates that none of the NT’s highways meet the national guidelines for truck rest areas, which require there to be:

• a major rest area every 100 km
• a minor rest area every 50 km and
• a truck parking bay every 30 km

He called for formalised rest areas on the Barkly Highway near Barry Caves and Frewina

On Level Crossings he made the point that:

• A 53.5 metre road train can take up to 71 seconds to go over a level crossing after stopping
• During this time, a high speed train could travel 2,275 metres
• But under the current Australian Standard, level crossings only have to provide truck drivers with 937.8 metres of visibility up and down the tracks
• In other words, the drivers of these road trains have to rely on luck when they go over a level crossing

One for the Rail Buffs

• Disclaimer: The Australian Trucking Association NT ( ATA NT) accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of information provided. Recipients should make their own independent evaluation of statements made by the authors or contributing articles in the ATA NT Bulletin.