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TCA receives 10 applications from IAP service providers

Transport Certification Australia (TCA), the company administering the Intelligent Access Program (IAP), has announced that the number of telematics companies

Transport Certification Australia (TCA), the company administering the Intelligent Access Program (IAP), has announced that the number of telematics companies seeking to become service providers has significantly exceeded initial expectations.

Chief Executive Officer Chris Koniditsiotis says TCA has received 10 applications from companies seeking to be certified as IAP service providers.

“This is significantly more than we initially expected and can be seen not only as an endorsement of the IAP, but as an endorsement of the transport and telematics industries and governments coming together to develop this unique Australian road transport reform,” he says.

The IAP is a voluntary program which provides heavy vehicles with improved access to Australia’s road network in return for monitoring of compliance with specific access conditions.

Participating heavy vehicles are monitored by IAP service providers using telematics services with an in-vehicle unit (IVU). IAP service providers are certified by TCA.

Of the 10 applicants, Sigtec was recently announced as the first service provider.

According to Koniditsiotis, the number of applications illustrates the confidence the telematics industry has in the IAP.

“These 10 companies would not have applied if they did not have confidence in the IAP. The IAP is not a fad technology. It has been developed over a number of years to ensure it delivers
a working solution to real problems facing the transport sector,” he says.

Koniditsiotis says the program has also been designed to address future issues.

“As I have said previously, the IAP is not a ‘one-trick pony’. It provides a regulatory, contractual and operational framework to government and the transport industry going forward,” he says.

The success in attracting a higher than expected number of applicants has led the TCA board to revise the closing date of the rebate on certification of an IAP service provider system, endorsement to use a specific in-vehicle unit (IVU), and assessment of a self-declaration input device (SDID) or alternative.

The rebate was put in place by TCA to foster participation in the IAP in the initial years of its operation.

Through the rebate, certification fees charged to companies applying to become IAP service providers are capped at $55,000 (including GST) – significantly less than the expected $174,350 (including GST) cost to TCA of certifying each service provider.

Under the new schedule, the rebate on certification fees will be closed off to new applicants on May 30, 2008. All applicants seeking to access the rebate must have their applications lodged with TCA by this date.

Koniditsiotis says it is important to note that the new closing date is for rebate eligibility only.

“Companies are still more than welcome to apply to TCA to become IAP service providers after 30 May this year, but they will not be eligible for the rebate on fees,” he says.

The rebate on fees will not be available for certification work carried out after June 30, 2009. To remain eligible to receive the rebated fees until then, applicants (both new and existing) will need to meet a set of specified conditions.

Koniditsiotis emphasises the rebate change affects certification fees only.

“It is important to note that there is no change to the operational fee rebate which comes in to effect for an IAP service provider once they commence operation and provide IAP services,” he says.

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