The passing of the bill implements the National Transport Commission’s reforms to allow the use of electronic work diaries (EWD) instead of written records.
Australia’s heavy vehicle operators in the waste industry will benefit from further reductions in red tape thanks to updated legislation.
The Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Bill 2015 aims to bring consistency across participating states and territories in the rules and regulations applied to heavy vehicles, operators and their drivers.
National Transport Commission CEO Paul Retter said the new laws would help heavy vehicle drivers comply with the existing requirements that set the maximum number of hours they are able to work.
“EWDs make it much easier to comply with the law and stay safe on the road,” said Mr Retter. “The heavy vehicle drivers who choose to use an EWD will also receive extra benefits from using them, such as receiving alerts when breaks are required.”
According to the CEO of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, Sal Petroccitto, the bill contains a number of amendments that provide a reduction in paperwork and deliver a much-needed productivity boost to the heavy vehicle industry and those industries that they support.
“Amendments to the electronic work diary requirements were made to enable consistent implementation and deliver productivity benefits to industry. There were also changes made to a number of penalty provisions to ensure harmonisation across industry,” he said.
“EWD differ to existing commercial electronic fatigue management systems, as they provide greater flexibility for the mounting national freight task while meeting the driver’s regulatory requirements. Their implementation will facilitate an efficient and effective method of managing fatigue compliance.”