National laws will unlock productivity gains and make life easier for trucking operators, Isuzu says
August 21, 2009
National laws will unlock significant productivity and safety gains and make life easier for small trucking operators, according to a leading heavy vehicle manufacturer.
Isuzu Director and Chief Operating Officer Phil Taylor has backed a governmental agreement to overhaul state-based legislation, saying the current system is inefficient.
Citing says fatigue management laws as an example, Taylor says cross-border inconsistencies “often cause confusion, productivity loss and unnecessary red tape”.
“Currently, an interstate truck driver is required to comply with a different set of regulations in each state jurisdiction they drive through,” he says.
“This has caused confusion within the trucking industry for some time, and leads to extra administration and higher overhead costs.”
As well as this, Taylor says abolishing the current regime will drive better safety outcomes in the industry.
Under an agreement made by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), a national governing body will be established by 2012 and will be responsible for administering inspection standards, safe driving hours, mass limits and registration.
“Trucking operators will have a clearer understanding of the rules, especially owner drivers, some of whom are perhaps less well resourced than large transport companies,” Taylor says.
“And with a national, more consistent framework in place, targeted enforcement by the authorities will be more successful, leading to improved compliance, accreditation and efficiency right across the trucking industry.”
With predictions the freight task predicted to double in the coming decade, Taylor says seamless laws are in Australia’s economic interest.
“The road transport sector is responsible for carrying the bulk of Australian manufactured goods as well as delivery of produce to supermarkets and shops,” he says.