Australian and New Zealand transport agency association Austroads has announced it has reached nine decades of contributing to the area’s transport industry.
In its 90-year journey, Austroads has a rich history and evolution around representing the industry to all forms of government.
Since its foundations in 1934, Austroads has been a key cog in developing and applying national standards to enhance national transport outcomes.
Austroads began courtesy of a proposal put forward by the NSW transport minister in June 1933 that led to the establishment of the Conference of State Road Authorities (COSRA) in 1934.
This inaugural COSRA meeting in Melbourne on February 14 of that year marked the start of a collaboration between state road executives to exchange knowledge and improve road administration.
These first meetings led to COSRA agreeing to join the Permanent International Association of Road Congresses (PIARC) and advocating for better coordinated road works, as well as for uniform route markings, mile posting, road warning signs and standard nationwide road designs.
In 1959, COSRA evolved into the National Association of Australian State Road Authorities (NAASRA), transitioning from an annual meeting into an organisation. This new organisation focused on delivering a uniform approach to the national road system’s development and improvement, with NAASRA establishing the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) in 1960 to emphasise its commitment to research-driven road construction and management practices.
In 1989, NAASRA made the change to Austroads, aligning with member organisations’ efforts to integrate traffic, safety, registration, licensing, design and construction activities.
In 1993, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and Transit New Zealand became members of Austroads, with Austroads also began developing the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information Systems (NEVDIS) in the same year to exchange vehicle and driver license information across state borders. This initiative began operating in 1998.
A year after NEVDIS’ introduction, Austroads began working on a national telematics initiative that evolved into Transport Certification Australia (TCA) in 2007. By 2018, the Transport and Infrastructure Council determined that TCA should be reincorporated into Austroads, with the latter’s ownership of the former being solidified in January 2019.
“Austroads’ 90-year journey is a testament to our commitment to driving national transport standards and innovation,” Austroads chief executive Geoff Allan says.
“From our groundbreaking beginnings as COSRA to our current role, we continue to shape Australasia’s transport landscape for the benefit of all.
“Austroads’ expanded role in leading the delivery of complex projects to embed change into transport practice reflects the confidence our members have in capabilities and our ongoing commitment to delivering innovation and excellence.”