The Future, COR and Mental Health

In the news this week on Diesel News, we look at the future, COR and mental health, alongside inclusion for women. How Australia’s transport system might work in the lead up to the year 2040 is shown in a series of snapshots which reveal the transformational impact of factors like automated vehicles, better real-time data and analytics, more riding sharing and changes in consumer preferences.
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Road Ahead for the NTC

A plan laying out the road ahead for the NTC (National Transport Commission) has been published this week. It includes the new NTC work program to tackle Australia’s biggest emerging transport challenges. According to the NTC, the includes bolder and more strategic projects designed to identify and address the transport problems of the future. Paul Retter, NTC CEO, is quoted as saying there is little point waiting for transport problems to occur before taking action.
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Dangerous Goods Code Changes

Proposed changes to the Dangerous Goods Code have been released by the National Transport Commission. The proposed improvements to the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail have been published in order to get feedback from the industry. According to Paul Retter, NTC CEO, the proposed Code include changes to help align it with the latest UN recommendations (UN19), specific Australian changes and improvements to rules governing the transport of dangerous goods in limited qualities amounts, as approved in-principle by the Ministerial Council in 2015.
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Fixing Road Charging for the Trucking Industry

The whole issue of fixing road charging for the trucking industry pays in rego, or some other form of tax, is again up for discussion. The National Transport Commission has a discussion paper out at the moment asking for submissions from stakeholders about the way the trucking industry pays for the wear and tear it creates on our road system. Currently, the NTC asks governments what monies they spend each year on road repairs and maintenance and then divvies the amount up between the different trucks and trailers using the roads. This gives them an amount of rego to be charged for each vehicle and a level of fuel subsidy. This is designed to come up with the figure originally given by governments.
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Improving Road Charging

The National Transport Commission has released a discussion paper outlining possible options to improve the current method of setting heavy vehicle charges. The current method of assessing what registration charges and fuel levy rates should be has been widely criticised and the government has frozen charges for the past two years, in an admission it is flawed.
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Speeding Rule Changes Proposed

Rule changes are to come under consideration in an attempt to increase the pressure on truck drivers to reduce speed related crashes. The National Transport Commission is asking for submissions from stakeholders in response to a discussion paper, on the matter, published this week. “Speed is still a major cause of heavy vehicle crashes and while the majority of drivers do the right thing, we need to ensure there are effective deterrents for the few who are determined to break the law,” said Paul Retter, NTC CEO. “We also need to keep making sure off-road parties are held to account for anyone putting any undue pressure on drivers to speed.
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Making Corporates and Directors Liable

A submission by the Australian Trucking Association has called for corporate officers and directors to be personally liable under the Heavy Vehicle National Law for exercising due diligence. The submission to the National Transport Commission’s executive officer liability review is aimed at making these officers liable in any failure to prevent 34 specific safety critical offences.
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