The National Road Freighters’ Association has called for the road transport industry to consider a nationally recognised entry gate for commercial operators, arguing it could create a safer and more efficient sector.
NRFA President Glyn Castanelli said the industry already operates under extensive safety laws, Chain of Responsibility obligations, fatigue requirements, workplace laws and vehicle standards.
However, he said the bigger issue was whether the freight market consistently rewards operators that invest in safe, lawful and sustainable business practices.
“Despite the importance of the sector, a fundamental question is whether commercial road transport should have a nationally recognised entry gate that demonstrates minimum operator capability before freight work is awarded,” Castanelli said.
What would a road transport entry gate mean?
A road transport entry gate would create a recognised way for operators to demonstrate minimum safety and business capability before they take on freight work.
Castanelli said this could take several forms, including compulsory accreditation, national operator licensing or a contractual chain standard.
The idea is not necessarily to create one new accreditation program for every operator.
Instead, Castanelli said the industry could recognise existing pathways that demonstrate an operator has the systems, capabilities and standards needed to operate safely.
Why is price pressure part of the problem?
Castanelli pointed to an economic idea known as “the market for lemons”.
In simple terms, this happens when buyers cannot easily distinguish between high- and low-quality services.
When quality is hard to see, buyers often focus on the easiest thing to compare: price.
That can create a problem for freight operators that invest heavily in safety, maintenance, training, compliance and lawful employment.
Their costs are higher because they are paying for professional standards. However, if customers only compare rates, those investments may not be properly recognised.
“That does not mean lower-priced operators are unsafe. However, it does mean that operators who invest heavily in safety, training, maintenance and lawful employment practices may not always receive a commercial advantage for doing so,” Castanelli said.
How does this connect to safety?
Castanelli said current industry discussions around employment standards and sham contracting were closely linked to safety outcomes.
He argues that if freight rates do not properly cover the real cost of compliance, maintenance, training and labour, pressure moves elsewhere in the system.
That pressure can affect operators, drivers, subcontractors and business owners trying to compete while still meeting their legal and safety obligations.
“One of the most significant discussions currently occurring across the transport industry concerns employment standards and sham contracting,” Castanelli said.
“This conversation is important because safety outcomes are often closely linked to commercial and employment structures.”
Why compare trucking with other industries?
Castanelli said other mature high-risk industries already have clearer entry gates.
He pointed to aviation, buses, building, and financial advice as sectors in which participants must demonstrate a minimum level of capability before operating commercially.
Road transport has significant legal obligations, but Castanelli said it lacks a universal national mechanism that clearly demonstrates minimum operator capability before freight work is awarded.
“The industry therefore faces an important question: should participation in commercial road transport require recognised proof of safety and business capability?” he said.
What happens next?
The NRFA is not calling for a one-size-fits-all model.
Castanelli said any future framework should be practical and should work for owner-drivers, family businesses and small fleets, not only larger companies with dedicated compliance teams.
He said the goal should be to lift the minimum standard across the industry without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
“The objective should be to lift the floor,” Castanelli said.
“Most importantly, it should ensure that businesses investing in safety, lawful employment practices and professional standards are not commercially disadvantaged by competitors who avoid those costs.”