Plan to make map of all heavy vehicle rest areas available to telematics developers
Transport Certification Australia (TCA) will work with road transport and safety advocate Rod Hannifey to map “informal” heavy vehicle rest areas as part of broader improvements to its rest area information database.
Hannifey, who is currently in the process of recording the location of informal rest areas, said he welcomed the initiative.
“I hope in time it will be one more step to help Australian truckies better manage their fatigue, both for their safety and for their compliance,” he says.
“My next aim is a National Rest Area Strategy, and this data can only help see that achieved.”
TCA chief executive Chris Koniditsiotis says the consolidation of heavy vehicle rest area information for navigation devices and services is long overdue.
He also noted that many consumer navigation devices are aimed at passenger vehicles, and often do not provide necessary information about the size and number of parking bays and which facilities are available.
“Despite general rest area information being offered through consumer navigation devices, heavy vehicle drivers face difficulties in finding in-cab devices and services which meet their specific needs,” he says.
Aside from its work with Hannifey, the TCA will also work to translate rest area information published by Australia’s road and transport agencies into a standardised, open that all technology providers can use.
Australian Trucking Association chair Geoff Crouch also praised the plan, saying the database would help technology companies provide consistent and accurate information to their clients.
“The database will benefit truck drivers both in the short term, through better access to information, and in the long term because it will help underpin new rest area guidelines and mandatory service level standards for the road network,” he says.