Operators fearful of the impending introduction of the Intelligent Access Project (IAP) could use it as a ‘big stick’ of
Operators fearful of the impending introduction of the Intelligent Access Project (IAP) could use it as a ‘big stick’ of their own, is the opinion of one leading transport equipment manufacturer.
Roger Sack, managing director of Brisbane firm Tramanco, says the Chekway system can not only monitor the mass of the truck, but also record potholes and other road damage, to provide a ‘real time’ picture of the condition of the road network.
Sack says operators who record the road condition data can then send reports to the relevant state authorities, putting the onus on government to ensure roads are maintained properly.
The Chekway system uses a combination of data loggers and GPS to record the severity of the suspension deflection, as well as the location and time, which can then be built into a bigger picture of whether the road is deteriorating, or being repaired.
The system can also monitor suspension wear, allowing operators to keep up with their requirement under IAP to ensure suspension functionality, without necessarily replacing every component, ‘just because a number ticks over’.
Sack says the real time monitoring of trucks is already a reality, with most fleets doing it for economic reasons, the main difference with IAP being that it allows road authorities to penalise operators for breaching regulations.