VTA

Lack of Education for Local Councils

Victoria’s trucking industry and the Victorian Transport Association as its representative has issues with the lack of education for local councils. There are 73 councils in Victoria many of whom are not geared up to dealing with access enquiries on last mile issues. Many have limited transport expertise. “They are making decisions affecting our industry from an uneducated position,” says Peter Anderson, VTA CEO. “They are trying to do a good job, but they don’t necessarily have the resource to do the best job they can. The industry then has to try and move around what they do, and compensate.
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Melham Leaves, Industry Connects, and North Australia and Melbourne Get Connected

In the news this week, from Diesel News, Chris Melham leaves, industry connects, and North Australia and Melbourne get connected with new road plans. The Australian Trucking Association announced its Chief Executive Officer, Chris Melham will be leaving the ATA on October 14 to take up a new role in another leading industry association. “On behalf of the ATA, I would like to thank Chris for his five years of service to the Australian trucking industry and the ATA,” said Noelene Watson, ATA Chair. “During his tenure with the ATA, Chris made significant gains in a number of areas including, reconnecting the Tasmanian Transport Association with the ATA, which secured a truly national voice for the Australian trucking industry with membership from every jurisdiction.
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Keep Truck Tolls Low

The CEO of the Victorian Transport Association has asked the Victoria Government to keep truck tolls low on the proposed access roads to Melbourne Port. Peter Anderson encouraged Transurban and government to apply a reasonable fairness test in relation to tolls and heavy vehicles on the proposed Western Distributor and road access to the Port of Melbourne.
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Freight Monitoring Trial in Victoria

A freight monitoring trial in Victoria, which pairs in-vehicle technology systems with VicRoads data is hoped to help trucks and heavy vehicles better navigate Victoria’s road networks, and at the same time improve efficiencies for operators and safety for drivers. The VicRoads Innovative Freight Road Trials will include technology from Navman Wireless Australia and Vehicle Monitoring Corporation (VMC). It will help to divert trucks away from low bridges and other vulnerable parts of the network, as well as help to ensure that vehicles carrying dangerous goods are operating safety.
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90 km/h Speed Limit

Truck speed limits and variable car speed limits are being introduced on the Monash Freeway in Melbourne. The Victorian Government is undertaking a trial in which speeds on the Monash Freeway will move up and down based on live traffic conditions. The Dynamic Speed Trial, which starts in early July, running between High Street in Ashburton and Glenferrie Road in Toorak, means car drivers, when it is safe to do so, will be able to increase their speed from 80 km/hour to 100km/hour on this section of the Monash.
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HPFV goes Interactive in Victoria

The Victorian Government is extending its High Productivity Freight Vehicle scheme and making information more accessible to the trucking industry. The latest announcement made by Luke Donnellan, Victoria’s Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and Ports will see longer heavy vehicles allowed to use more roads to transport goods.
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Safety Solutions for METS

A Melbourne trucking operator has achieved some major safety improvements after a campaign to improve performance. Metropolitan Express Transport Services has a fleet which has grown from twelve vehicles in 1986, to now running in excess of 200 vehicles, ranging in size from small courier vans, to semis. In recent years a key objective for METS was to improve the management of their work-related road risks in order to reduce, the risk of harm to employees and others, the number of incidents and claims as well as reducing costs, improving WHS performance and meeting corporate social responsibility objectives.
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Pallet wars

The Guidelines released by the Australian Logistics Council, about pooled equipment management, have been called into question by the Victorian Transport Association. Both organisations have long been involved with the issue of pallets and the systems used to hire and dehire them, as they move between different parts of the supply chain.
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