ATA welcomes HVNL

The Australian Trucking Association has welcomed the new Heavy Vehicle National Law, which came into effect on February 10

The Australian Trucking Association says the new Heavy Vehicle National Law, which became operational on Monday, February 10, will improve truck safety and free up billions in economic benefits.

The laws are now operating in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, while also in limited effect in the ACT.

According to the ATA’s Chairman, David Simon, the body worked tirelessly with the government and key stakeholders to finalise the legislation but there is still work to be done.

“With our members and other industry groups, the ATA worked very hard to get the new law right,” states Simon in a recent ATA statement.

“Some 1020 issues were identified with the original draft of the law. Many have been fixed; others are on a legislative forward work program.”

Simon said the new laws will empower the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), enhancing safety in the truck industry and especially in relation to the bigger firms that operate across state borders.

“The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator will be better placed than state road agencies to enforce the law against large industry customers that operate nationally,” he said.

Simon said the HVNL should also serve to streamline the industry’s regulations, leading to significant savings.

“The law could potentially create $12.4 billion in economic benefits by enabling the industry to use larger trucks on more routes, improving vehicle standards and removing the inconsistencies in speed, fatigue and other aspects of the law,” he said.

There are, however, teething issues to be addressed, said Simon.

“The national law will require truck drivers working for businesses accredited under the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme to carry more paperwork,” he said.

“This is due to a drafting error. The ATA and its members have urged governments to fix the drafting error as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the NHVR has put in place a six-month transition period for enforcing the provision.

“The trucking industry is also concerned about the NHVR’s proposed budget, $147.5 million in 2014-15. Of this total $135 million will be paid by the industry. This is almost $60 million more than the industry is currently charged, yet part of the case for setting up the NHVR was that it would reduce duplication and the industry’s costs.”

Simon also said the HVNL had provisions for the industry to register codes of practice and that it will seek to register its TruckSafe truck safety accreditation scheme, which is already registered in Victoria.

ATA welcomes HVNL

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