Victorian Government looks at financial penalties for its contractors to boost COR compliance, leading one operator to take action
April 29, 2010
The Victorian Government is looking at imposing strict restrictions on its contractors to ensure they comply with chain of responsibility, prompting one transporter to take action.
Brett Roberts from Monaro Logging says government departments are financially penalising trucking operators if they overload their vehicles.
Monaro carries 400,000 tonnes of softwood pine out of Victoria’s State forest each year.
The company, which runs 14 B-doubles, has fitted onboard scales to reduce the risk of overloading.
“In a bid to be responsible, the State forest is looking at docking pays for overloads. “So if we’re a tonne overloaded we won’t get paid for that tonne, so we need to be spot on every time,” Roberts says.
“Now everyone’s responsible, from the loader to the truck driver through to the managers and directors, no-one is spared and you can’t have any excuses – it just has to be right.”
Chain of responsibility forces all parties in the supply chain to ensure vehicles over 4.5 tonnes do not breach loading limits.
Chain of responsibility provisions also apply to speed and fatigue management.
The risk of breaching the law and losing pay is also dictating Monaro’s dealings with its contractors.
“If we were to use contractors to cart logs for us and they didn’t have scales they wouldn’t work for us,” Roberts says.
He says the company decided to fit wireless scales due to the amount of wiring already on its equipment.
“Our trailers have ABS braking and roll stability, so that’s enough wiring in the loom as far as we’re concerned,” Roberts says.
“When you consider the hydraulic hoses that our log bolsters slide backwards and forwards and fold up and down – wires in a weighing system is the last thing we want to worry about.”