etruck.com.au

The chances of Australia getting a sensible and pragmatic electronic work diary system are lengthening fast with the publication of a submission by the New South Wales Road Traffic Authority to the National Transport Commission. In reply to the draft position paper on Electronic Systems for Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue and Speed Compliance, the RTA have reverted to type, raising the bar to entry by setting ridiculously high standards.

It would seem the RTA would prefer for the truck drivers of Australia to continue to use the tried, tested and not very reliable logbook system we have now. By insisting any in cab electronic monitoring equipment must be a part of the Intelligent Access Program, the RTA will put the electronic work diary out of reach for many operators.

Their submission to the NTC will, once again, lead to criticism of the NSW authorities as being more interested in revenue raising than in a practical solution for trucking. It would seem that they would prefer to continue to ping drivers for minor breaches when they make mistakes filling out their work diary.

In general, the submissions in reply to the initial position paper, came up with with practical suggestions and a sensible approach to a way forward. However, the RTA hold such a strong position, due to geography and their ability to introduce extra legislation to force trucks on NSW roads to meet their standards.

It is almost like winding the clock back 20 years to the days of Bruce Baird, NSW Minister of Roads, who insisted on the introduction of tachographs in the wake of the Grafton bus crash only to be stopped at the very last moment by his own cabinet.

Does the trucking industry want to return to the old days of confrontation and dispute? Or are we able to move forward and gain some sort of practical consensus to improve safety outcomes? It would seem the RTA’s insistence on over complicating the electronic work diary rules will lead us to one of two unwanted outcomes.

One, is a return to conflict between the states and between trucking organisations and state legislation, also involving disputes with the NTC. Two, is nothing happens, the intransigence of NSW means nothing gets done and we carry on with our current inefficient and time wasting procedures while getting fined for minor breaches like spelling mistakes.