etruck.com.au

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) will re-energise its TruckSafe safety accreditation system, following a joint meeting between the ATA and TruckSafe boards.

TruckSafe is the trucking industry’s own business and safety management system. TruckSafe customers sign up to meet high standards and are audited regularly. Independent statistics show that TruckSafe customers have a much lower accident rate than non-accredited trucking companies. The TruckSafe system also helps its customers increase productivity, reduce maintenance costs and improve the health of their employees.

The ATA Chairman, Trevor Martyn, said the boards had agreed to make major administrative changes to TruckSafe to ensure its customers receive the highest level of service and the best accreditation material in the industry.

“In 2007, the TruckSafe team spent a great deal of time providing advice to the National Transport Commission (NTC) on its draft policy proposal for a national accreditation system,” Martyn said. “That work is now done. It’s time for TruckSafe to focus on its customers and the reason it was established: to help trucking operators improve their safety, maintenance and management.

“At the meeting, we agreed that TruckSafe would retain its own board, because its members are highly knowledgeable, respected and utterly determined to improve standards in the industry and the level of service for our customers.

“We did, however, accept Mike Almond’s resignation as the Chairman of TruckSafe. Mike has put an enormous amount of effort into TruckSafe as its Chairman, and his constant advocacy of the system and its customers has led directly to the decisions I am announcing today.

“Now these decisions are made, Mike feels he can devote more time to his rapidly growing business. Mike’s company is a longstanding TruckSafe customer; it’s one of the reasons for his company’s success.

“Although TruckSafe will continue to have a separate board, we are going to integrate its staff more closely into the ATA secretariat’s day to day operations. The ATA’s Chief Executive, Stuart St Clair, will now be responsible for TruckSafe as well as the ATA secretariat. He will report directly to the TruckSafe board on the management of TruckSafe,” he said.

Martyn said TruckSafe would soon be launching the latest version of its accreditation kit, TruckSafe
2008.

“The new kit will lead the industry by including speed management standards as well as optional modules on mass management and fatigue,” he said.