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NHVR announces fatigue monitoring technology review

Regulator taps consortium to better shift tech ‘from lab into cab’

 

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has signalled its intention to pave the way for greater industry uptake of in-cab fatigue monitoring by awarding a contract to a consortium to conduct a study of the technology.

Led by Central Queensland University’s Appleton Institute and HGH Consulting, a trial would accompany a review of existing technologies, data gathered from current programs such as the Queensland Trucking Association’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Around Ports program, and the Smart Truck program being trialled by Volvo, Ron Finemore Transport and Monash University.


Read about the MUARC truck simulator study with Ron Finemore, here


NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto told the Australian Logistics Council Forum 2019 that the trial would identify how best to provide recognition and support to the growing number of businesses using fatigue monitoring technology in addition to work diaries.

“This trial will allow us to develop incentives and remove barriers to encourage operators to take technology out of the lab and into the cab,” Petroccitto says.

“The NHVR announced $250,000 in funding for the trial following the Fatigue Safety Forum in Sydney last October.

“Operators at our forum provided us with numerous examples where they have adopted this technology without any legal recognition.

“I want to see whether in the future we can support and provide regulatory flexibility for operators to use this technology.”

The NHVR and the consortium will be conducting a series of workshops for operators later this year.

“We will also be conducting our own field trials later this year and looking to engage further with industry as part of these on-road trials,” Appleton Institute director Professor Drew Dawson says.

“We believe this is a world first when it comes to a regulator conducting a comprehensive review of fatigue monitoring technology.”

More on the review can be found here.

Farming red tape

The NHVR also recently reinforced its message to councils and road managers that it is seeking agreement on the new draft National Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle and Combination Notice.

Policy agreement was reached between the NHVR, federal government and state and territories in January this year.

The Notice would harmonise state-based notices into a single national notice and update standards to make life easier for farmers, enabling them to move the majority of their equipment between farms and ensuring they can do business more efficiently.

It will provide farmers with mass and dimension exemptions, reduce the current number of designated agricultural zones to allow travel for larger equipment such as grain harvesters, simplify cross-border movements and improve operations across farms, NHVR says.

The NHVR will be seeking approval from around 430 road managers and conducting workshops to provide information and help key stakeholders to understand the changes.

Consultations will be held from 8 March to 5 April 2019.

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