Governments may approve all-in-one monitoring system capable of recording route and fatigue management compliance
By Brad Gardner
Governments may this year approve an all-in-one monitoring system capable of simultaneously recording route and fatigue management compliance.
Transport Certification Australia (TCA) is currently looking at whether to incorporate electronic work diaries and the Intelligent Access Program (IAP) into one device.
The government body has been tasked by the Australian Transport Council (ATC) to develop rules for an electronic reporting scheme in line with IAP specifications and has flagged a comprehensive compliance system as an option.
The ATC will decide at the end of the year whether to adopt the scheme.
But TCA Chief Executive Chris Koniditsiotis says there are limitations to an all-in-one approach because some operators may have no use for IAP but still want to use electronic diaries.
This has prompted the TCA to also consider the possibility of separate systems as it goes about developing an acceptable model.
“All those options are on the table,” Koniditsiotis says
Regardless of which scheme is chosen, Koniditsiotis says the industry will be able to choose between paper-based or electronic diaries to record driving and rest hours as part of fatigue management laws.
The system will be designed on a GPS platform rather than the European tachograph model that uses driver identification cards.
But while advocating a simple, cost-effective scheme, Koniditsiotis stopped short of confirming whether it will be compatible with systems currently being used by operators.
He says the TCA will seek input from companies using GPS technology to ensure their operations are not unduly affected by the specifications.
David Simon from Simon National Carriers has raised concerns about the process, saying the IAP framework is not compatible with existing fleet management systems.
The work diary specifications will mirror those of the IAP accreditation process, with Koniditsiotis saying service providers will need to pass rigorous testing before becoming certified.
GPS vs TACHOGRAPH
The TCA has decided against the European tachograh model because “a lot of the systems in Australia are GPS-based”.
“It is what the industry is currently doing,” Koniditsiotis says.
“There are a number of telematic providers out there with years of experience that provide fatigue monitoring and work diary requirements for the industry.”
Koniditsiotis also supports the ATC’s decision to forego a trial before implementing the iniative because “there is no evidence that the technology doesn’t work”.
The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) criticised the decision to scrap the trial, saying it would be hard for the industry to test the technology’s effectiveness and reliability.
Austroads Freight Program Manager Philip Halton claims electronic reporting reflects governments’ desire to use “current and emerging technologies to advance safety and productivity in the road freight sector”.
Koniditsiotis says the process is not about revising fatigue management policy, arguing it is merely an attempt to allow the industry to use an electronic reporting method recognised by governments.
Like IAP, the TCA will not be responsible for developing the hardware, instead relying on service providers.
The ATC in November last year voted in favour of fast-tracking electronic reporting technology.
Work diaries became mandatory after fatigue management laws were passed last year, while IAP grants route access in return for monitoring vehicles.