The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has overhauled its safety accreditation program TruckSafe in an effort to provide better services to
The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has overhauled its safety accreditation program TruckSafe in an effort to provide better services to its members.
A spokesman for the ATA says a meeting between the lobby group and TruckSafe agreed to keep both boards independent but will relieve TruckSafe staff of having to focus on policy submissions.
During the discussion phase of the National Transport Commission’s (NTC) national safety accreditation paper, TruckSafe staff worked with the government body.
“There was a very strong feeling in the room that TruckSafe and its staff should not be focused on the politics of what might or might not happen in terms of government regulation but they needed to focus on delivering benefit for TruckSafe customers,” the spokesman says.
Furthermore, ATA staff will work across both entities as need be. The communications department of the ATA, for instance, will now handle TruckSafe’s media demands.
Integrating staff is one of a number of measures aimed at ensuring TruckSafe can devote more time to delivering beneficial outcomes to its customers, according to the spokesman.
ATA Chief Executive Stuart St Clair will also shift into an expanded role, effectively becoming the chief executive of TruckSafe as well. The spokesman says the previous set-up meant the TruckSafe manager reported on relevant matters to the TruckSafe board but also reported separately to St Clair on a day-to-basis.
While there is no formal chief executive role regarding TruckSafe, the spokesman says St Clair’s responsibilities will mirror those of the ones he performs as the chief executive of the ATA. The meeting decided this was the best option because it streamlined the responsibility process and allowed the ATA to diversify its staff if required to allow TruckSafe “to focus very tightly on looking after TruckSafe customers”.
“That way there is a single line of responsibility from the TruckSafe administration staff to the national manager of TruckSafe, to Stuart St Clair through to the TruckSafe board,” the spokesman says.
“The intention of having the TruckSafe manager report to the ATA’s CEO is that the rest of the ATA’s secretariat will, when required, provide support to TruckSafe business operations.”
During the meeting, Mike Almond resigned as chairman to focus on his growing business activities, according to the ATA. As such, the spokesman says the group will soon name the new chairman to replace Almond.