Fellows Bulk Transport’s Deniliquin Driver Safety Program also earns gong
Industry business and risk management system TruckSafe is the recipient of two National Road Safety Awards recognising strong safety management culture and proactive approach to fleet safety.
Earlier this year the Australian Road Safety Foundation announced TruckSafe as the winner of two awards: The Corporate Fleet Safety Award and the Founders Award for Outstanding Achievement.
TruckSafe was presented with the awards at a Parliament House ceremony yesterday, joined by Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack.
“There is no other road transport accreditation scheme that is as comprehensive or robust as TruckSafe, and these awards are a wonderful acknowledgement of the quality of our program and the dedication of our members and supporters,” ATA safety, health and wellbeing director Mellissa Weller says.
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The Corporate Fleet Safety Award recognised TruckSafe’s proactive approach to fleet safety and its demonstration of a holistic safety management approach, backed by professional development systems and a strong safety management culture.
The Founders Award for Outstanding Achievement is a pinnacle award presented to a category winner for outstanding overall achievement.
“Our system uses a rigorous independent audit approach and utilises an independent expert panel to approve accreditation applications, audits and to regularly review the TruckSafe standards,” Weller says.
Weller adds the awards are a timely reminder of the need for TruckSafe members to have regulatory recognition and access to the same benefits of those in the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS).
“Despite the rigour of the TruckSafe program, our members don’t have access to the alternative compliance arrangements available to NHVAS operators – these arrangements for TruckSafe operators were withdrawn in 2004 as part of the expansion of NHVAS,” she says.
“As the national truck laws are under review, the ATA has strongly advocated that all certified trucking businesses be deemed to comply with the safety duties under the HVNL, and that customers and those in the supply chain be able to rely on a trucking business’s certification as evidence that the business was compliant with its safety duties and obligations.
“This would mean that the customer would be able to focus on meeting its own obligations rather than second guessing the trucking operator’s systems.”
The awards ceremony also celebrated the Deniliquin Driver Safety Program, which has been coordinated by Jenny Fellows of TruckSafe member Fellows Bulk Transport for many years, winning the Schools Program Award.
“The ATA has been a longstanding supporter of the Deniliquin Driver Safety Program, and this week joined the program once again to share our new SafeT360 exhibition, which teaches young road users how to share the road safely with trucks,” Weller says.
“Together with our members like Fellows Bulk Transport, we are working to improve safety for not only the trucking industry but also the wider community.”