Information Bulletin.
2 October 2008

As from 29 September the new fatigue laws come into effect in all states except WA, NT and the ACT, the NT will not join until legislation goes through the local parliament.
However current fatigue regulations will still apply: http://www.nt.gov.au/transport/safety/road/fatigue/
Elsewhere it’s either:
Standard hours: http://www.ntc.gov.au/ViewPage.aspx?page=A02214503300980020
Basic Fatigue Management: http://www.ntc.gov.au/ViewPage.aspx?page=A02214502300990020
Advanced fatigue Management: http://www.ntc.gov.au/ViewPage.aspx?page=A02315409400000020

The National Transport Commission (NTC) has welcomed the commencement of new heavy vehicle driver fatigue laws in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

The reform targets the root cause of driver fatigue, rather than simply regulating hours, and makes all parties in the supply chain legally responsible for preventing driver fatigue.

NTC Chief Executive Nick Dimopoulos praised the efforts of industry, unions and governments in preparing for the new laws.

State road agencies have developed their own resources, which can be accessed via the links below:

Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure - South Australia

Educational Booklet, Driver Die Card, Roadside Rest Area Guide and Driver Reviver Program Link

http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/safety/road/road_use/fatigue.asp

  Queensland Transport - Queensland

Fatigue Management Guide, Fact Sheets and Fatigue Policy Papers

http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/home/Industry/Accreditations/National_heavy_vehicle_accreditation_scheme/Advanced_fatigue_management

Department of Employment and Industrial Relations - Queensland

Legislation, What Laws Apply, Fatigue Education, Effects of Shift Work, Managing Fatigue and Fatigue Management Guide 

http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/subjects/fatigue/index.htm

Department of Planning and Infrastructure - Northern Territory

NT Fatigue Management Package: Self-Audit Guide, Model Fatigue Management Systems, Risk Assessment and Sample Work Diary

http://www.nt.gov.au/transport/safety/road/fatigue/package/index.shtml

  Roads and Traffic Authority - New South Wales

Fatigue Education, Rest Area Maps, Managing Fatigue, Legal Rights and Fatigue Reform Fact Sheet

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/heavyvehicles/safety/hvfatigue/index.html

  VicRoads - Victoria

Fatigue Education, Managing Fatigue, Driving Hours Regulations and Log Books

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/HeavyVehicles/News/New+Heavy+Vehicle+Driver+Fatigue+Laws.htm

Reminder that the ATA NT Annual Dinner and Auction will be held on 15 th November 2008 - Tickets are now available.

The Big Issue – The Environment

With the environment the big issue for truckers to tackle, an upcoming workshop program R20;Going Green: Learn, Do and SaveR21; is designed to improve a business’s profitability through the use of green business practices.
The distinguishing feature of the program is that participants are provided with 12 months of coaching assistance after the initial workshop.
And the really good news is that there is only a small registration fee of $27.50 payable by participants as the majority of costs are funded by an Australian Federal Government grant through AusIndustry under their “Building Entrepreneurship in Small Business” Program.
The course is designed to be highly beneficial to small and medium sized businesses particularly in the tourism, retail, agriculture or engineering sectors where containment of costs is crucial.
It is also important that businesses are seen to be using sustainable practices. Your businesses carbon footprint is very topical at the moment! See the flyer attached

Heavy Vehicle Charges Legislation to be Introduced - Federal.

Last week we saw heavy vehicle charges legislation back into Federal Parliament, after the Federal Labor Caucus approved the Bills on Tuesday.
The Federal Labor Caucus consists of all of the Labor Party’s MPs and Senators. Caucus clearance is the last stage in the long and winding approval process that Government ministers have to follow before they can introduce legislation into Parliament.
ATA manager of government relations Bill McKinley says that he expects there will be two Bills:
1 Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill (No 2): This Bill will seek to impose the new registration charges on trucks registered under FIRS.
2 Road Charges Legislation Repeal and Amendment Bill: This Bill will be a new, expanded version of the Road Transport Charges ( Australian Capital Territory) Repeal Bill, which was voted down in the Senate in March. The Bill will seek to:
Decouple the FIRS and ACT heavy vehicle registration systems, as was proposed in the original Bill and;
Implement the Government’s plan to increase the road user charge by 1.367 cents per litre, and enable the Government to make regulations to provide for the charge to be adjusted in the future
ATA is concerned that the $70 million Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program is inadequate and at its September meeting, ATA Council passed a resolution calling on governments to implement a ten-year program to roll out heavy vehicle rest areas in accordance with the national guidelines.

NSW Changes its Mind on who will fill out work diary

The NSW Minister for Roads Michael Daley announced last Friday that heavy truck drivers doing local work are now freed from the need to fill in work diaries.

From 29 th September, the state’s new fatigue laws would have required all heavy truck drivers to fill in work diaries to record their driving hours and rest breaks, even those doing local work such as moving containers around Port Botany or delivering furniture in Newcastle.

Minister Daley has announced that heavy truck drivers doing local work within 100 kilometers of their home base will be exempt from the requirement to fill in work diaries. Primary producers operating within 160 kilometer’s of their home base will also be exempt from the requirement. Source NSW ATA.

A Students View of NT Trucking.

Had a call a few weeks ago from a school student (will call her Helen, but that’s not her real name) who was researching the views of truckers and the public perceptions of the NT trucking sector.

Helen researched three main areas:

• What do truck drivers perceive as being the main safety issue within the N.T?
• What do non truck drivers perceive as being the main safety issue within the N.T? and,
• What can be done to improve the safety in the trucking industry within the N.T?

To obtain balanced answers Helen said she distributed 40 surveys among members of the public ranging from school students and teachers, petrol stations users and shopping centre customers

She visited a local shopping centre and approached motorists filling up at local service stations as well as ATA NT and drivers.

Helens findings included:

• A perception that a possible increase in the road toll with many new and inexperienced drivers coming into the sector, although she found that the NT was embracing national standards in line with NTC requirements.
• NT railway crossings with only stop signs were felt to be dangerous, due to poor “sighting distance” increasing the risk, Helen used Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) comments to substantiate this.
• From a truck drivers point of view railways, inexperienced drivers, truck rest bays and road conditions are the main issues talked about by truckers.

Public perception with one in three people interacting with road trains on a daily basis:

• 53% of people felt unsafe and intimidated travelling close to a road train.
• 55% of people said that road trains are the main source of freight in the NT.

Perceived safety issues by the public included:

• 8% saw drug taking as an issue.
• 43% believed drivers are overworked.
• 9% saw the sizes of vehicles as an issue.
• 11% believed that road conditions are an issue, and
• 29% thought Fatigue is an issue with truck drivers commenting that a lack of parking bays or bays that are often full contributing to this.

33% of Helens respondent’s believed that there should be more attention given to the welfare of our truckers.

Helens Conclusion

The findings on this investigation do not support my hypothesis to a large extent; however they do to a certain degree. I have come to this conclusion because the participants of my survey had a small difference between the answer on whether they felt unsafe travelling near a road train.

The Northern Territory government should address this issue as both interviewees stated more rest stops and better road conditions are required.

If the issue is taken forward not only will road train drivers have an advantage, but other road users will benefit with smoother, safer roads.

To resolve the issue of the perceptions of road trains I think society needs to do further research to see that road trains are there to supply us with our day to day needs rather then intimidate us on the road.

The survey proved successful and gave some good statistics to work with. However the time restriction and misjudging on the investigation as well as other deadlines did affect the outcome.

In my view I do not think road train drivers are a hazard, as so many people rely on them without realising that. Being a road user myself, I will now be more courteous towards the machines that are evidentially only there to help out the rest of society.

In my view I do not think road train drivers are a hazard, as so many people rely on them without realising that. Being a road user myself, I will now be more courteous towards the machines that are evidentially only there to help out the rest of society.

• 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.