Road Freight NSW

Road and Container Charging Plus Portal and Road Trains

This week we are talking about Road and Container Charging Plus Portal and Road Trains in Diesel News.

A new road-charging regime will be found for the trucking industry, after a decision by the Transport and Infrastructure Council (TIC) of state and federal transport ministers. The plan is to thoroughly examine the costs and benefits of implementation of independent price regulation and a forward looking cost base, slated to come in 2018–19.

The council agreed to freeze heavy vehicle charges at 2017–18 levels for a further two years, to a mixed reaction from industry associations. Read more

NSW Independence, Overcharging and Freight Restrictions

This week the news has included NSW Independence, Overcharging and Freight Restrictions, as well as a revamped Access Portal, all here in Diesel News.

Road Freight NSW has announced it will become an independent organisation from January 1 2018. It is currently a subsidiary of the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), after beginning as ATA NSW in 2007.   Road Freight NSW says it will now work independently to campaign on policies affecting the NSW transport sector, primarily heavy vehicle safety, the regulatory regimes stifling business growth and the unwarranted surcharges, like stevedores’ port taxes, being imposed on carriers. Read more

West Gate Tunnel, Tax Fight, Bulk Tippers and Aldi

It’s all happening in the trucking industry this week, there’s the West Gate Tunnel, Tax Fight, Bulk Tippers and Aldi, all getting a run in Diesel News.

A requirement for the operator of the proposed West Gate Tunnel to offer financial incentives and discounts for freight operators that use the new connection is expected to encourage heavy vehicles to use the road, creating productivity improvements for operators and amenity gains for residents of Melbourne’s inner west.

Luke Donnellan, Victorian Roads Minister, announced the Victorian Government will provide further incentives for the transport and logistics industry to use the West Gate Tunnel when the road is built, in the form of discounted shuttle rates, caps on maximum daily tolls for trucks making multiple trips through the tunnel, and night-time discounts. Read more

Epic Fail by the ATO, ACCC Involved in Road Tolls and National Harmonisation

This week has seen an Epic Fail by the ATO, ACCC Involved in Road Tolls and National Harmonisation coming onto the agenda in a real way.

According to the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), the epic size of the tax office’s failure to consult about its decision to slash employee truck driver travel expenses has got industry associations up in arms.

During the 2017–18 income year, the tax office will allow employee truck drivers to claim just $55.30 per day in travel expenses (excluding accommodation) without detailed receipts. In 2016–17, the amount allowed was $97.40. In the same determination, the tax office increased the reasonable food and drink allowance for comparable employees in other industries from $106.90 per day to $109.35 per day. Read more

Brett Wright Retires, Victoria Extends Length Allowance, TruckSafe on Infrastructure Projects and Road Building in the Territory

This week in Diesel News, it’s all happening. Brett Wright Retires, Victoria Extends Length Allowance, TruckSafe on Infrastructure Projects and Road Building in the Territory.

Heavy Vehicle Industry Association (HVIA) CEO, Brett Wright, has announced his impending retirement from his current role.

“It is with many great memories, fondness and pride that I announce my leaving HVIA,” said Wright. “I have been privileged, firstly to have been given the opportunity to work for the Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of Queensland (CVIAQ) all those years ago and then to continue to lead it over the last twenty years culminating in its transformation into a truly national industry body, HVIA, in 2015.” Read more

Sensible Car Drivers?

Is it too much to ask for the trucking industry to be able to deal with sensible car drivers? The biggest risk to safety on our highways is those people driving cars. They are the least observant, most likely to speed and prone to fatigue-related crashes, especially around holiday time.

Car drivers are the bane of the truckie’s life, lacking any kind of consideration for truck drivers and manoeuvring dangerously around them. If there is one thing we need to fix to improve road safety it is the standard of car driving.

The biggest problem is the lack of knowledge in the car driving community about trucks, the way they perform and what they can and cannot do. Car drivers tend to exhibit fear around trucks and will tend to panic if the truck does anything they don’t understand. Read more

Talking Turkey About Trucking

RMS Do It Again

I don’t know if it’s a coincidence, but every time we think we have taken a pace forward, RMS pops up and takes us back. This time the, consistent, Roads and Maritime Services in NSW seem to have wound back the clock to the days when all the rules in each state were different.

The bone of contention this time? The ridiculous assertion heavy haulage drivers using dollies need an MC license to drive a semi trailer. This is an issue which was under discussion, but the RMS seem to have decided to be pedantic and start giving tickets to those drivers who fail to comply. This requirement will not apply to visiting drivers from states who do allow the holders of HC licences to drive dolly/low loader combinations, but will force all heavy haul operators in NSW to ensure their drivers have an MC license in order to drive a semi using a dolly. Read more

Welcome Road Freight NSW

The former ATANSW is now to be known as Road Freight NSW. It is New South Wales’ own road transport industry member association, providing NSW trucking operators with a voice on issues affecting the transport industry. With a significant focus around the major ports of Newcastle, Port Botany and Port Kembla, Road Freight NSW provides advocacy services, workplace relations advice, industry updates and extensive benefits to its members.

Road Freight NSW says it is an apolitical organisation, dedicated to representing its members in discussions with governments, road freight agencies and other bodies. Read more