Australia’s Transport Ministers have approved a major national transport reform to encourage new technology and industry innovation
A key element of the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) national reform agenda for transport, Performance Based Standards (PBS), has been approved by Australia’s Transport Ministers. National Transport Commission (NTC) Chief Executive Nick Dimopoulos said the unanimous decision is a landmark for cooperative federalism.
“Australia’s land freight task is forecast to double by 2020. Unless we collectively coordinate productivity, safety, pricing and planning reform across all modes of transport, the industry will face a community backlash and costly bottlenecks,” he warned.
“The approval of PBS is a big step in the right direction. It gives the road freight industry more flexibility to meet those challenges by building safer and more productive heavy vehicles. Over the long-term, transport reform will reduce the number of truck trips and help put downward pressure on freight costs to support Australia’s economic competitiveness.”
Under the national PBS reform, an operator can apply for access to the road network based on the vehicle’s ability to stop, turn and travel safely without damaging roads or bridges.
“Our current prescriptive regulations are all about what a vehicle looks like, which is a fairly loose proxy for safety. PBS focuses on what a SMART truck or bus can do,” Mr Dimopoulos explained. “The better the vehicle performs the more roads and bridges it can run on.”
Applications will be considered by a national PBS Review Panel, comprising of representatives from each state and territory and the Commonwealth. Former VicRoads Chief Executive David Anderson will chair the Panel. Deputy Chairman Neil Findlay brings a wealth of industry experience to the approval process.
The NTC has appointed former DaimlerChrysler Product Engineer Marcus Coleman to act as the Senior Technical Advisor to the PRP. Parry Serafim will manage the PRP Secretariat. The first meeting of the Panel will take place on 26th October 2007.
Mr Dimopoulos said a two year trial of an interim PBS scheme has refined the standards and process. The NTC is committed to a further review of the scheme in 2008 to ensure the reform reaches its full productivity potential.
“PBS is now open for business. I’d like to thank the innovators from industry and government who have championed this reform over the years. We need to continue working together cooperatively to take this reform to another level,” he said.
COAG has directed state and territory governments to map road networks for SMART heavy vehicles by the end of 2007. Road use charges for high productivity vehicles will be included in the 2007 Heavy Vehicle Charges Determination.
The Productivity Commission has estimated that COAG’s road and rail transport reform agenda, could deliver $2 billion in overall benefits.
Note: SMART (Safer Management of Australian Road Transport)
More information:
SMART fact sheets
Innovate-Collaborate speech by Nick Dimopoulos on 21st September, Freight Week
Case Studies
Thinking SMART case study
Get SMART - ATN - 29 June 2007
High Efficiency Container Truck
PBS - Trackaxle Demonstration
PBS recognised in sustainability award
PBS recognised in sustainability Award
SMART trucks can reduce road trauma
SMART trucks can reduce road trauma
Trackaxle semi-trailer trial
SMART trucks on the road
For more information:
Paul Sullivan, General Manager Communications, NTC (03) 9236 5027/0419 715242 |