– By Caroline Falls –
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator may start approving electronic work diaries for truck fleet operators soon, unleashing pent-up demand for telematics.
A key parliamentary committee last week (1 Sept) recommended amendments to national heavy vehicle laws that enshrine electronic work diaries as a voluntary alternative to written diaries for truck operators and drivers.
It’s a development that fleet managers and telematics providers alike have been awaiting for years. Measures to incorporate EWDs in the national legislation has been in the works since at least 2011 when a pilot project involving some nine transport companies and 10 telematics suppliers was conducted.
“Some smaller fleets are holding back now,” said Steve Nuttall, research director at market research group ACA Research. “A lot of companies are in the evaluation stage, testing platforms,” awaiting the reform.
The amendments pave the way for the Brisbane-based National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to begin approving EWDs for use by drivers as an alternative to the traditional paper-based work diary for fatigue regulated heavy vehicle drivers to record their work and rest hours. Presently, only the hand written diaries are accepted under the current law and in courts.
The committee’s endorsement enables the bill to be debated and turned into law as early as next week. The development is significant because some truck operators have been delaying, until they can be assured that the system they choose will meet the regulator’s approval.
“The electronic diaries that would be approved under this bill would replace the need for written work diaries, potentially offering a considerable reduction in the red tape burden faced by operators and drivers,” said Craig Melham, CEO of the Australian Trucking Association, a peak body representing trucking and logistics operators as well as transport industry associations.
“We also welcome the confirmation that electronic work diaries will be voluntary,” Melham said. “Although electronic work diaries could offer great advantages for some businesses, installing them would be an unnecessary cost for small operators.”
NHVR was the lead agency of the amendment bill, making Qld the host jurisdiction for the Heavy Vehicle National Law Act . The amendment bill may be debated as early as next week (15 September 2015) when Qld Parliament resumes. The Qld Parliament must first pass amendments to the legislation before they can be applied by other states.
The NHVR said some 95 percent of freight trucks on Australian roads are governed by the national act. The NHVR is working with Transport Certification Australia, a ministerial advisory group, to plan the implementation of EWDs (for example, how the regulator will develop systems to read various EWDs) and the finalising of an EWD specification so that operators and suppliers know exactly the detail required from the system.
Geoff Casey, NHVR executive director for regulatory compliance, said one of the key aims in introducing EWDs into the regulatory regime was to address the inefficiencies and administrative burdens with the current paper system. In addition, “EWDs will facilitate a more efficient and effective method of managing fatigue compliance,” he said.
There were mixed results for demands of the peak industry body, the Australian Transport Association. While it got what it wanted in having the amendment provide for EWDs as an option, and not as a requirement, the ATA didn’t gain the leeway it wanted for drivers and their compulsory rest breaks.
There’s zero tolerance, for example, with a lunch break where a driver could be penalised for taking a 29-minute break rather than the obligatory 30-minute break . One minute out and you’re in trouble. Onerous. But, it’s not unlike other zero-tolerance stipulations such as a bottle shop, which can be fined for shutting its doors a minute late.
The upshot of the complexity is that the bill’s specifications in relation to EWDs don’t have the same tolerance as a written work diary.
“The risk of a two-tiered regulatory regime could deter operators and drivers from making the change,” ATA’s Melham said.
He said the ATA is happy though that the amendments also include a review of the integration and operation of the system in two years. The review was essential to make sure that users of electronic work diaries are not held to a significantly tighter regulatory regime than users of paper work diaries, he said.
Changes to heavy vehicle maintenance inspections and regulations – Read more.
