THE AUSTRALIAN Logistics Council called for the development of a national operating standard for heavy vehicle operators as part of a review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law in a submission to the National Transport Commission in response to a consultation regulatory impact statement prepared on possible changes to the HVNL.
ALC proposes the creation of a national standard in which every heavy vehicle operator would:
- provide the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator with a list of heavy vehicles it operates and garaging information about the vehicle;
- ensure that each heavy vehicle has installed, and uses equipment meeting international standards that records information regarding driving hours and location that can be used in the investigation of alleged breaches of the HVNL as well as providing operators with data that can be used to manage safety outcomes or otherwise provide road owners with information that can be used when applying for access to routes.
- maintain a safety management system (SMS) that meets standards established in the HVNL; and
- require a registered operator would have capital available to ensure efficient operation of the heavy vehicles.
ALC said it expects infrastructure ministers to meet in the middle of the year to approve changes to the HVNL following the regulatory impact statement process.
“It will be an opportunity lost if the national operating standard concept is not adopted as part of the HVNL,” ALC said.
