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Scrap IAP mandate for HML: ATA

NSW trucking companies reject IAP as government actions and cost concerns drive down confidence in the monitoring system

New South Wales trucking companies are rejecting the controversial Intelligence Access Program (IAP) as government actions and cost concerns drive down confidence in the monitoring system.

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) is warning of a massive drop in enrolments in the IAP as companies weigh up their options only weeks after Sigtec withdrew as an IAP provider.

Acording to the peak trucking body, companies are questioning any commitment to IAP due to the NSW Government’s decision to link it to Higher Mass Limits (HML).

The Government will force operators using B-triples of AB-triples operating under HML to enroll in IAP from July 2009.

However, there is no guarantee of route access under this method, with the ATA saying local roads may still be blocked off.

“An operator could spend tens of thousands of dollars to enrol in IAP, and then have no recourse if a local council refuses to let them use the last mile of road that may make the whole investment worthwhile,” Martyn says.

The ATA is pushing the Government to scrap its plan because companies are already investing large amounts of money in their own vehicle tracking systems to comply with road access regulations.

The ATA has also told potential IAP providers not to base their business plans on pre-enrolment figures because more and more trucking companies are expected to drop out as confidence plummets in the scheme.

“The ATA’s members, including a number of large operators, are starting to conclude that the costs of joining IAP are greater than the benefits,” ATA Chairman Trevor Martyn says.

“For many companies, the productivity gains just aren’t worth the cost.”

Unless the Government changes its position, Martyn warns of a spike in truck numbers on the State’s road network because trucks with specialized suspension that can carry 10 to 13 percent more payload can only do so under HML.

“The many trucking operators who do not plan to complete their IAP enrolment will need to use more trucks to carry the same amount of freight from July 1, 2009,” Martyn says.

Under the pre-enrolment system, trucking companies can operate under HML on their existing routes to give them time to decide whether to become enrolled in the IAP.

Sigtec, which was the first company accredited as an IAP provider, pulled out because the scheme was not lucrative enough, leaving
Transtech-Driven as the only provider.

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