• Getting serious with overseas drivers
• Industry Innovation in WA
• Is the WW2 Brisbane Line Back?
• Why is WA’s road toll rising?
Truck drivers have enough to contend with especially when it comes to other road users and conditions and now comes yet another vehicle with little regulation, policing and infrastructure that is sharing the road with heavy vehicles with disastrous results… Should they even be there?
At the TWU, we are relentless in the pursuit of building and exercising worker power, guided by clear, strong principles. We are committed to earning and keeping our members’ trust and bargaining collectively. We aim to hold corporations to account, empowering the workforce with a strong and powerful voice.
The TWU has a number of Enterprise Agreements in a myriad of transport companies. If you work for a company that has an EA with the TWU, you, along with all transport workers benefit from the years of struggle and collective action of union members before you.
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The Heavy Vehicle Helpdesk is open from: 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and WA Public Holidays.
On weekends the Main Roads Customer Information Centre will receive telephone calls on behalf of the Heavy Vehicle Helpdesk on 138 HVO (138 486) and email enquiries can be sent to hvs@mainroads.wa.gov.au
Tel: 138 486 Fax: 9475 8455
Email: hvs@mainroads.wa.gov.au www.mainroads.wa.gov.au
By LUKE OLSEN Managing Director APAC, Microlise
In 2024, Western Australia saw 188 lives lost on its roads, the worst toll since 2016. Of those, 28 were from heavy vehicle incidents involving trucks and buses1 These aren’t just statistics. These are people – colleagues, family members, mates – gone. And every one of those numbers represents a system that failed. That’s the uncomfortable truth.
If you run or manage a fleet and your idea of safety starts and ends with ticking a few compliance boxes, it’s time for a rethink. Safety can’t be reactionary. It can’t be a poster on the wall. It needs to be baked into every part of the operation from planning, leadership, communication and technology. It needs to live in the way people think, behave, and talk about risk. And if it doesn’t, you’re one phone call away from a worst-case scenario.
Let’s be honest, if your team doesn’t trust you, nothing you roll out will work. Fancy systems, new rules, training modules… they all fall flat if people feel like they’ll be blamed, ignored, or left out to dry. Trust is the backbone of a working safety culture. It’s what allows people to speak up before something goes wrong, not after.
You build it by listening to drivers and acting on what they say. By following through on your promises. By giving people the confidence that they won’t get punished for flagging a problem. It’s not just about being a nice boss. It’s about creating a space where the truth gets heard before the damage is done.
The Australian Automobile Association still lists fatigue as one of the top contributors to road trauma2. But too many still reduce it to hours-driven or time-on-task. That’s surface-level thinking.
We all know someone who can do 12 hours and still be sharp. We also know someone who’s a wreck after six. Fatigue is complex, it’s tied to sleep, yes, but also to what’s going on in someone’s life: stress, mental health, diet, relationships, even financial strain.
Your job as a leader isn’t to wave the rulebook. It’s to understand the person behind the wheel. Are they coming in tired all week? Have they had a proper break? Are their shifts being stacked to cover a shortfall in planning?
If you want to reduce fatigue risk, start by asking better questions and actually caring about the answers.
Safety doesn’t just come from the top. It’s lived and reinforced by the people closest to the drivers – your frontline team leads, depot managers, dispatchers.
If they push drivers to cut corners, ignore red flags, or ‘just get it done,’ then that’s your real culture, not the one written
in your handbook. But if they’re leading toolbox talks, calling out great driving, encouraging feedback, and being available when someone’s unsure, that’s when culture sticks.
What can you do? Start by training these leaders properly. Not just in compliance, but in communication and influence. They need to know they’re not just traffic coordinators – they’re the front line of your risk strategy.
The Chain of Responsibility laws make it crystal clear – everyone in the transport chain is responsible for safety3. That means planners, schedulers, warehouse loaders, managers – not just the person in the cab.
But how many organisations really live that? Too many still operate on ‘driver
References
If you run or manage a fleet and your idea of safety starts and ends with ticking a few compliance boxes, it’s time for a rethink
blame first’ when things go wrong. If your warehouse is overloading vehicles, if your schedules are unrealistic, or if your systems make it hard to report issues – you’re complicit.
Real culture means shared accountability. It means every link in the chain asks, ‘What’s my role in making this safer?’ If that’s not happening, your risk isn’t being managed – it’s just being pushed downstream.
Let’s talk about AI dashcams, telematics, distraction detection, and driver scoring tools4. Used right, they’re game-changing. They help spot patterns, flag fatigue, and show who needs coaching.
Used wrong, they create resentment and fear. If drivers think technology is just there to catch them out, they’ll disengage – fast. And once trust is gone, it’s hard to get back.
If you’re using these tools, be transparent. Explain what’s monitored, when footage is reviewed, how data is used, and what support is available. Show the wins – like the time a camera proved a driver wasn’t at fault. Let people see technology as backup, not a bat.
Culture isn’t about surveillance. It’s about support. Get that balance right and your tools start working for you, not against you.
Drivers don’t wake up looking to break rules. They’re responding to pressure, gaps in systems, mixed messages, or lack of awareness. Speeding? Maybe they’re running late because of an unrealistic delivery window. Fatigue? Maybe they couldn’t say no to an extra shift. Seatbelt use? Maybe they’re ‘just moving the truck around the corner’ – which, by the way, is still one of the most common contributors to preventable fatalities5
Changing behaviour means understanding context. Fix the workflows. Space the rosters. Set better expectations. And most importantly, reward the behaviour you want more of. That’s what drives change.
A true safety-first culture isn’t built in the heat of a crisis. It’s built during the quiet days when nothing goes wrong. That’s when you do your best work – shaping habits, reinforcing expectations, and creating normality around speaking up.
Every meeting, every interaction, every job plan should have safety baked in. It’s not about running a safety campaign for a week. It’s about making it part of every day. What are you doing to keep safety conversations going when the spotlight’s off? That’s where it either fades or becomes real.
If your systems, schedules, and structures are making it hard to follow the rules, then people won’t follow them. That’s on you.
Design your operations so that doing the safe thing is the easy thing. Pre-start checks that don’t require paper. Rosters that allow for real rest. Delivery slots that factor in traffic, fatigue breaks, and real-life delays. When drivers don’t have to choose between compliance and getting the job done, they’ll pick safety every time. But you need to make that choice visible and practical.
So, here’s the reality: 188 deaths in WA last year. Twenty-eight from trucks and buses. It’s not good enough [1].
Every meeting you skip, every dodged conversation, every red flag that’s ‘not urgent’ – that’s a potential incident in the making. If you’ve got the power to influence safety – and if you work in this industry, you do – then it’s time to step up and seek out support.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being consistent, honest, and committed. Every policy, every technology rollout, every leadership hire should scream ‘safety comes first’.
Because when something goes wrong, it’s not the policy that gets the call. It’s the people.
Let’s do better. Let’s lead with safety, not just say we do.
1. WA Road Safety Commission. ‘Quarterly Heavy Vehicle Road Deaths’. datahub.roadsafety.gov.au/safe-systems/safe-vehicles/quarterly-heavy-vehicle-road-deaths
2. Australian Automobile Association.‘Fatigue and Road Safety’. aaa.asn.au/research-data/road-safety-research-program/fatigued-driving/
3. NHVR. ‘Chain of Responsibility Explained’. nhvr.gov.au/safety-accreditation-compliance/chain-of-responsibility
4. Transport Certification Australia. ‘Telematics and Safety Improvements’. tca.gov.au
5. BITRE. ‘Seatbelt Use and Road Deaths’. bitre.gov.au
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In this edition, I have put a microscope of e-rideables, particularly e-scooters as I am concerned with how they are interacting with trucks with disastrous results… The fact is, they should not on busy freight routes but why is no one reporting this?
You may remember our ‘This is the Outback’ columnist Cliff Graham talking about how compliance and technology is dumbing down drivers. In this edition this is backed up by experts (Page 3) “If you run or manage a fleet and your idea of safety starts and ends with ticking a few compliance boxes, it’s time for a rethink”, and in other stories relating to WA’s rising road toll.
Best,
Just like the differences in Heavy Vehicle Regulations between the various Australian States, there have also been major differences between the various states in regard to the regulations of transferring an overseas licence to an Australian Drivers Licence.
Except for the Northern Territory (three months), and New South Wales and Victoria (six months), Australian states and territories have allowed overseas drivers to drive indefinitely on their overseas licence as long as it was current.
Under the new agreed to regulations, all of that is about to change (or has changed depending on your state of residence).
For the majority of Australia, the new regulations came in on 20th April 2025 but both Western Australia and Queensland have a further six-month transition period which means that our changes will come into effect on 31st October 2025.
However, although the states have agreed on a timeline, they still can’t agree on exactly what the conversion regulations will be.
For light vehicles (cars and motorbikes)
it is easier as many countries are considered to have similar training and assessment standards as those here in Australia and so licence holders from those ‘recognised countries can directly transfer to an Australian Licence of a similar class without the need for undergoing further testing.
For Heavy Vehicles it is and rightly so a different kettle of fish.
Australia is quite unique in so many aspects – the huge distances between locations, the often-narrow roads that we call major highways, the weather and extreme events, the number and sheer volume of vehicles that traverse these roads and the lack of facilities that are available for drivers. We are like nowhere else in the world. Driving a Heavy Vehicle in Australia is not for the faint hearted – you take your life in your hands every time that you head out so it is critical that we make sure that all drivers are at a competent standard – as they risk not only their own lives but that of other road users too.
There is talk of allowing drivers from ‘recognised countries’ to skip some of the
assessments to allow for an easier transfer of their Licence.
In my opinion this is very wrong. Choosing to allow some drivers an easier route based solely on their country of origin is discrimination and not the Australian way of doing things and it is certainly not safe.
Any overseas driver from ‘any’ country wanting to drive a Heavy Vehicle in Australia ‘should’ be made to sit both the theory and practical driving assessments exactly the same as an Australian should have to.
If we are serious about safety in the Transport Industry, we need the regulations on Heavy Vehicle drivers to be tougher.
International visitors coming to Australia on student visas and being employed as Heavy Vehicle Operators is a proven recipe for disaster.
We have all seen the increase in accidents and road deaths over the past few years and this has to stop. Getting tougher on the licencing requirements of drivers is a necessary first step to ensure that more of us get home safely each night.
Our Western Australian transport industry often leads the way nationally through innovation that improves productivity and efficiency. Government generally supports innovation that leads to productivity and efficiency gains, provided it is safe and reasonable from a road infrastructure perspective.
However, simply continuing to push for increased mass and dimension limits is not practical and in many instances is not a safe or sustainable outcome, especially with the highest dimension and mass limits already permitted in WA when
compared nationally.
While Main Roads WA continues to encourage innovation and safer vehicle combinations through the WA Performance Based Standards Scheme, the point has almost been reached where physics prevents us from continuing to increase the size and weight of these “typical” vehicles.
We are now starting to see some technologies emerging that may allow us to improve safety and efficiency, such as powered trailers systems, fatigue and distraction monitoring, on-board mass management systems and improved
electronic braking systems and stability controls. Industry needs to embrace some of these technologies as they emerge, while continuing to explore any potential ‘outside the box’ alternatives.
Sometimes it is not even necessary to think too far outside the box, as demonstrated recently by a WA heavy vehicle recovery company which has rebirthed the underlift tow truck.
The typical rigid underlift tow truck experiences known issues with overloading on the drive axle group and unsafe underloading on the steer axle group,
The trucking industry is calling for every state to follow South Australia’s new approach to licensing drivers of road trains and other long trucks.
The SA reforms are to the multicombination (MC) licence class which is needed to drive B-doubles, A-doubles, B-triples, road trains and quads.
In SA, to get a MC licence, the driver must hold a heavy combination (HC) or heavy rigid (HR) licence for at least 12 months, and undertake training and a competency-based assessment or driving test.
An experienced truck driver from another country may be able to count some or all of their overseas experience toward the 12 months.
Australian Trucking Association Chair Mark Parry said the rules for MC licences raised two issues.
“The MC class covers trucks with widely different handling characteristics. A driver trained on a B-double may not be able to handle a longer road train safely. The major crash rate for triple road trains is almost 2.5 times higher than the rate for B-doubles.
“A driver whose experience is from overseas may find driving an MC truck even more challenging because they are still learning the formal and informal
rules of our roads,” he said.
Australia’s transport ministers have agreed in-principle to wide ranging reforms to truck licensing, but those will take years. An interim solution is needed and SA is showing the way.
Following the death of industry veteran Neville Mugridge in a horrific crash, the SA Transport Minister, Tom Koutsantonis
We urge every other state to match SA’s initiative, ensuring consistent training and assessment of all truck drivers, including those from overseas, before they are issued an MC licence
implemented a supervised MC Licence Program as an alternative to the existing 12 month waiting period where SA no longer recognises overseas experience toward obtaining an MC licence, except for New Zealand drivers.
SARTA CEO Steve Shearer OAM said the association had lobbied for years for the
change, which was repeatedly ruled out nationally.
“Australia has much larger trucks than other countries and our operating environment is different. We urge every other state to match SA’s initiative, ensuring consistent training and assessment of all truck drivers, including those from overseas, before they are issued an MC licence,” he said.
It was the ALRTA that advanced the SA approach to the ATA’s member council for endorsement. Its president, Gerard Johnson, said the model was practical, inclusive and safety focused and implementing this model nationally will ensure all drivers – regardless of background – are trained on Australian roads to handle the real-world conditions they’ll face.
Mr Parry said the ATA had tested the merits of the approach with a roundtable of multicultural drivers and the participants unanimously endorsed the changes that SA has made.
“The ATA believes that implementing the SA approach nationally will not only improve road safety. It will help address the appalling level of racism experienced by some international truck drivers, because every MC driver will have the same HR or HC experience on Australian roads.”
particularly when towing a heavy vehicle. Reengineering a standard underlift mechanism to function effectively on a semi-trailer fully resolves these issues, leading to a heavy vehicle recovery combination that is safer and has less impact on road infrastructure.
This has led to the development of the underlift semi-trailer, which looks similar to the illustration above, and is now operational in WA.
In partnership with government, the WA transport industry needs to continue leading the nation in safety and innovation, with initiatives like the introduction of the underlift semi-trailer.
If you have any suggestions on improving safety and productivity, or if you have a new heavy vehicle technology you would like to discuss trialling or implementing, please contact Main Roads Heavy Vehicle Services via HVSnetworkaccess@mainroads.wa.gov.au
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The headlines say it all, and this is not just isolated to Australia - “Man dead after e-scooter collides with truck”, “E-bike rider dead in hospital after collision with truck driver”, “E-scooter rider killed in shocking collision with truck”, “E-scooter accidents and injuries on the rise”, “E-scooter rider killed in crash with truck”, “One dead after e-scooter collision with truck” … the list goes on.
The reality is truck drivers have enough to contend with especially when it comes to other road users and conditions and now comes yet another vehicle with little regulation, policing and infrastructure that is sharing the road with heavy vehicles with disastrous results.
The WA Government clearly states that it is illegal to ride eRideables on roads with a dividing line and roads where the speed limit is more than 50km/h.
So why are we seeing so many of these accidents involving e-scooters and trucks on roads that ‘do’ have dividing lines and higher speed limits?
According to the Western Australian Road Traffic Act 1974 - Road Traffic Code 2000 a dividing line means a road marking formed by a line, or two parallel lines, whether broken or continuous, or by a series of reflective markers, intended to divide a road lengthways into separate carriageways, to be used by vehicles travelling in opposite directions.
Roads ‘without’ dividing lines are usually local suburban roadsnot our highways or busy intersections that are key freight routes.
In May this year, an e-scooter rider was killed in a crash with a truck at the intersection at Canning Highway and Stirling Highway in East Fremantle.
The incident involved a 31-year-old male e-scooter rider resulting in his immediate death.
It was reported that the truck driver, a 26-year-old man, was unharmed but regardless of the circumstances how could any
person not be affected mentally?
This intersection — a key freight route leading into Fremantle Port — sees over 5,000 trucks and 30,000 vehicles daily, according to road authorities.
This tragic incident reignited concerns about e-scooter safety, particularly at high-risk intersections used by large volumes of freight and commuter traffic but little or none of the reporting pointed out that the eRideable should not have been there but rather villainised the truck driver by using the make of the truck as some type of sensationalism.
What is also not being addressed is the trauma truck drivers experience when their vehicle is involved in an accident that results in a fatality. This can shatter lives in an instant, leaving survivors to grapple with a complex web of psychological wounds and more than often truck drivers will leave the transport industry never to return.
The most recent incident in WA was in Bibra Lake where a e-scooter rider was killed in a collision with truck at the intersection of Walliabup Way and Bibra Drive.
The 35-year-old rider was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital in a critical condition but his injuries were too severe and he could not be saved.
There seemed to be no concern for the truck driver who obviously did not plan for this to happen. From all reports the scene was grisly.
Reports indicate the device was high powered and Police Commissioner Col Blanch said early investigations showed the rider was travelling well above the speed limit when his scooter and the truck collided.
Dr. Dieter Weber, a trauma surgeon at Royal Perth Hospital, noted a significant rise in severe injuries from e-scooter crashes over recent years, with one seriously injured rider presenting every day at the hospital.
In Caboolture, Queensland a 15-year-old boy died after the e-scooter he was riding collided with a truck at yet, you guessed it… another intersection.
We are seeing a pattern here, with not only e-scooter riders perhaps not being where they are legally supposed to be and truck drivers being villainised for the accident.
Ownership of eRideables is surging rapidly and this year alone is part of our increased road toll in WA. What is frightening is a recent review of WA’s e-scooters recommended that they should be allowed to be ridden on ‘all’ roads with a speed limit of 50 kph or less, in order to spread the traffic.
It seems like an oxymoron, the WA Government states eRideables are classed as vehicles, so all road laws that apply to vehicles apply to riders however no license is required. And whilst the regulations for them seem ‘common sense’ such as being visible, following ‘their’ specified speed limit, wearing a helmet etc it is obvious that many of these rules are being broken.
In fact, the fines associated with eRideable offences could not possibly act as a deterent. $100 if they speed, $50 if they fail to wear a helmet or carry a passenger, $100 for driving recklessly, $100 for riding on a carriageway with a dividing line or median strip, $100 for riding on a one-way carriageway with more than one marked lane… and where is the policing?
It is blaringly obvious that there is a huge over sight here and the WA Government has promised a new parliamentary inquiry into the safety of eRideables but will this happen before there is another death or another truck driver has their life ruined?
Perhaps a suitable deterent for eRideable owners who break the rules would be that they lose their driver’s licence
Over to you
or many people, trucking to a remote mine site sounds like an adventure — a drive into the rugged isolated heart of Australia. But for the truck drivers who actually do the job, the reality is far from glamorous. More and more drivers are voicing the same frustrations - unfriendly treatment, endless and inconsistent safety rules, and a workplace culture that treats them as outsiders, not professionals.
A mate of mine was recently preparing for a run to a remote mine site. I commented that it must be a pretty interesting place to visit, given the location. But instead of enthusiasm, he shook his head and told me how much he hated going there. He told me that the access road to the mine was long, rough and poorly maintained and hard on his equipment. He said when he arrived the people on site weren’t friendly to drivers, and the rules made it nearly impossible to just ‘do the job’. Unfortunately, I’ve heard this same story again and again — and I’ve lived it myself.
Truck drivers are fed up with being treated as a nuisance rather than as part of the team.
Despite being critical to the supply chain and operations of these sites, drivers are often given the cold shoulder. From the moment they arrive, they’re bogged down by conflicting induction requirements, site-specific rules and constant changes to safety procedures — many of which don’t seem grounded in practicality or logic.
Worst of all, they are often denied access to basic human needs such as toilets, showers and somewhere to sit and have a drink and rehydrate in our harsh climate.
What’s worse, is that every mine or industrial site has its own set of PPE rules, its own paperwork, and its own interpretation of safety protocols. This lack of consistency creates a stressful environment.
One day you're fine in your high-vis and steel-capped boots, and the next day you're told you need flame-resistant overalls and
a different brand of safety glasses—just to drop off a pallet of parts. It’s exhausting, especially when you’re dealing with tight schedules and long hours.
I used to deliver regularly to a major gas site in the north. The rules were constantly changing and new restrictions were added without notice. Understandably, gas is dangerous — but if it’s really that volatile, why not set up a dedicated delivery zone away from the high-risk areas? Instead, drivers are expected to navigate complex and often unsafe pathways just to unload a few items all under watchful eyes and in an atmosphere of suspicion.
The pressure of these conditions is one of the reasons so many good drivers are leaving the industry. We are professionals, not liabilities.
Most of us take safety seriously and follow the rules — but when those rules become excessive, inconsistent, or seem designed to make the job harder rather than safer, the respect breaks down.
Many times, we have to comply with new standards and safety rules knowing full well that they are not necessary and just make our job harder. I love safety and there is nothing better than working in a safe workplace and doing a good job and having the satisfaction of achieving the job safely.
It’s time for some standardisation. The mining industry needs a universal set of PPE requirements and a commonsense safety framework that applies across all sites. Inductions should be streamlined and recognised across locations, rather than duplicated endlessly with minor differences.
Above all, site operators need to remember that truck drivers are not intruders—we’re essential to their operations.
If the industry wants to attract and retain skilled drivers they must be treated with the professionalism and consistency they deserve. Otherwise, the revolving door of burnt-out drivers will only spin faster.
Keep it safe, Ray Pratt.
by Cam Dumesny, CEO
The “Brisbane line” was a political allegation made by the opposition during the election campaign of 1942. The allegation was that the Government of the day had secret plans to abandon Northern and Western Australia and only defend a line from Brisbane to Adelaide.
The allegation has stuck in the public mindset, despite a subsequent Royal Commission finding there was no such official plan. (source: Australian War Memorial)
Tapping into the public mindset, the West Australian on 30 June had a major article titled “Albanese Revives the Brisbane Line”. The article highlights that two powerful Federal Government committees relating to national security and the economy were entirely comprised of Ministers inside the Brisbane line. The inference being that WA along with the rest of Australia outside the line is being ignored.
The West’s Point
Western Roads Federation overlayed the major national freight disruptions onto
the map of where the politicians on the committee come from, as you can see from the image.
The map as you can see kind of starkly proves that The West Australian’s article may have some merit, certainly from a freight perspective.
The map shows the increasing freight disruptions are being kind of ignored due to the lack of an effective national freight strategy and real investment outside the Brisbane line. This leads to:
• Increases risks and costs to our industry,
• Erodes national productivity,
• Undermines national security, and
• Suppresses economic development and opportunity.
A major challenge for any industry association outside the Brisbane line is to get Federal recognition and engagement that there’s more to Australia beyond the line.
Western Roads Federation Takes the Lead
In an outstanding example of how the
three jurisdictions, regulators, emergency services, and industry can work together, an incredibly successful day long workshop focused on practical solutions to the increasing freight disruptions was held in Adelaide in July 25.
Whilst the workshop was initiated and organised by Western Roads Federation, the reality is that it was successful because of the widespread support received from WA, SA and NT government agencies, regulators and industry associations.
The workshop has already led to actions being taken on each of the Agenda Items. Participants involved in the workshop have received not just the meeting outcomes but also updates on actions already being taken as a result.
Whilst it is popular in the industry to criticise government agencies, the reality is that there is a lot of goodwill towards our industry’s challenges and to working together across both industry and government in all three jurisdictions.
Federal recognition and leadership on the
issues facing the three jurisdictions was identified as critical.
The challenge is how to get that Federal recognition and leadership?
One potential driver to achieve that could be aligning efforts with the National Defence Strategy released in April 2024, which places strong emphasis on the need for having and maintaining resilient supply infrastructure.
“Defence must posture to enable the impactful projection of military effects from Australia to project and sustain a deployed force and to drive efficient use of training areas,” the NDS states, outlining the need for bases capable of delivering force projection and supporting regional stability.
The strategy sets out a comprehensive vision:
“Deliver a logistically networked and resilient set of bases, predominantly across the north of Australia, to enhance force projection and improve Defence’s ability to recover from an attack.”
It also emphasises the need to “maintain a resilient network of southern basing infrastructure focused on force generation, sustainment, health
networks and logistics nodes to sustain combat operations and support the of Australian forces” (source: Defence Connect 2025 Special Edition)
If our civilian industry struggles to supply our Northern and Western Australian communities during peace due to freight route weakness, how is Defence going to do that in time of conflict?
Prosecuting that argument could be the key to gaining the Federal Government investment and the focus needed to fix the freight disruption challenges facing our industry. Western Roads Federation will continue to lead until such time as the Federal Government begins to do its job.
The map shows the increasing freight disruptions are being kind of ignored due to the lack of an effective national freight strategy and real investment outside the Brisbane line
By AMBER WRIGHT Transport Industry Training Solutions
Amber started on the farm, licensed at 15 driving tractors and carting sheep. At Truckline she worked on brakes, learned how brake systems worked, serviced, adjusted and changed tyres and she had no idea how handy that would be through her 15-year career driving quads in the Pilbara and the Kimberly.
2025 will see the best year yet for the Super Truck racing in Australia, with a huge turnout of 18 trucks registered to race in this series.
When we talk about Super Trucks, we don't mean giant quads that scoot around up north, we're talking about Frankenstein’s monsters created in workshops all over Australia by truly passionate and dedicated teams; often families who have been in the game for 30 years.
These amazing bits of gear have been chopped, cropped and modified to within an inch of their lives, sporting dual tyre on a single drive axle - it fairly limits their carrying capacity, but they’ll get it there faster than Monday morning on a weekend. They are speed limited to 160kph and range from 1200-1600 horsepower. It’s a brain buster to see a truck that goes like a rocket.
With the rise in popularity of Truck Drags nationwide, it was awesome to see some Super Trucks let loose at Sydney as part of Truck Drags Australia, where Team SRZ and Team BDK went head-to-head and SRZ ran a winning time of a 13 second quarter mile. Then the night was capped off by team BDK’s epic burn out set.
Series one of the Super Truck racing was in April at Malalla in SA and was live streamed on YouTube and SBS. It's the first time the trucks have been back at Malalla for 16 years and what a show it was. The racing was hotly contested with a bit of argy-bargy on the track leading to a couple of them ending up in the dirt. The supporting drift cars, burnout Utes, Hyundais, Formula Vs plus a great show from the Budget race series all put on a memorable event.
The absolute highlight of the weekend was the little blue Isuzu that moonlit as a
drift car losing his brakes during the end race. He didn’t give up, he just put it on full send and gave the crowd the show they were looking for. In between events, spectators could visit the pits, chat with the drivers and get up close and personal with all of the trucks and cars or visit some of the other entertainment, including the always informative Steering the Future team and their amazing set up.
Women in Trucking Australia were also there launching their fundraising campaign ‘Raising Hope’ for kids with SIDS.
Round two will return to the mainstay of the Super Truck racing, Winton in Victoria where we will see the debut of the new and improved Super Truck Merch trailer. There will also be a truck display where if you enter your truck, it provides you with free entry for Saturday and Sunday. The Super Trucks will be backed up by saloon cars, Vic Super Tintops, Sports Compacts, Formula
V of Victoria and the Hyundai XL Racing. It will be quite a show and fun packed weekend with lots of fun family things to do.
Round Three of the Super Truck racing will be in Brisbane and Round Four is yet to be confirmed. Each event offers hot laps to raise money for future events.
I’m looking forward to going to Winton to cut my teeth as a co-driver in Tringali Racing Team’s 1500hp 8V92 Detroit Transtar. Wish me luck. Frank Tringali hopes to expand his team and run a ladies race team.
You can follow the action at www. titraining.com.au which has links to my social media. Watch on YouTube and SBS and stay tuned to next months article in WA Transport Magazine to see whether I come last, wet my pants or put it into the arrestor bed.
Keep it safe out there, Amber.
Productivity is a word often thrown around by policy makers, politicians and businesses but I doubt everyone is on the same page about what it means or what can be done to improve it. With the WA freight task on track to increase to 50,109 tkm million by 2035 from 42,311 tkm million in 2025, road freight productivity and efficiency is a policy imperative.
By 2040 road freight in WA will have increased by 35.7% on 2020 levels. This growth will demand more drivers and trucks and a road network, particularly in the regions, that can sustain the increase.
In light of those forecasts there is a level of urgency about identifying where productivity gains can be made. Traditionally productivity improvements have been laid at the feet of the labour force. According to a 2023 Treasury report, 70% of the increase in GDP over the previous 40 years was due to labour productivity, but growth has slowed here and around the world. There are likely to be many reasons for that, but it is questionable if the surge of growth required will come from labour rather than capital investment as has been the case in the past.
An obvious area for attention is our ability to use more efficient vehicles across more of the road network for the entire
journey. First and last mile barriers need to be overcome to reduce vehicle movements, lower emissions and improve safety. To my knowledge there has never been an overall assessment of our road network that identifies the breaks in the network and a subsequent strategy developed to smooth the bottlenecks out.
Increasingly sophisticated technology should be harnessed to streamline access approvals and recalcitrant local government’s that stand in the way of access without good reason should be brought to heel.
These improvements are not just about the transport industry; they have a direct impact on consumers and the cost of goods and materials. A recent Australian Trucking Association submission referred to estimates from Deloitte Access Economics that suggests that transport costs comprise 4.1% of the cost of fruit and vegetables. Alarmingly they contribute 4.4% of the cost of beer. The report indicates that if trucking costs fell, due to the use of more efficient vehicles, there would be a potential saving for consumers of some $352 million a year.
The other area that should be singled out for attention is the regulatory burden on transport companies. The cost of doing business is continuing to increase with compliance costs weighing small, low
margin businesses down. There have been many reports over the years about cutting red tape. They identify the problem, but in most cases not the pathway to overcoming them. This is an area that any government that wants to increase business efficiency should zero in on, with specialist dedicated attention to working with industry groups to fix the myriad of both federal and state regulations that don’t advance community safety or business efficiency.
Some areas for improvement could be:
• Regulatory costs based on cost recovery should ensure processes continually improve.
• Harnessing the power of technology and digitisation to improve service delivery.
• Incentives for compliance.
• Combining some permits and approvals
There have been calls in the past for a ‘Red Tape Tsar’ whose job it is to work with industry to identify regulatory barriers to efficiency. Importantly the role would also require ministers and their departments to identify regulation that will be removed if they propose new regulation. Departments would be charged with offering up unnecessary regulations for the scrap heap on the basis of making it easier for businesses to get on and do what they do best.
I think this is well worth considering.
The LRTAWA annual conference will be held this year at the Vines in the Swan Valley on the 22nd/23rd August. The theme is ‘Cut Red Tape, Not Corners’ so we hope to have a lively conversation about the road to greater efficiency. The conference is open to non-members and all are welcome. More details are on our website www. lrtawa.org.au.
Horizon Power reminds its customers to be vigilant around overhead powerlines and apply for a permit before travelling with an oversized load.
The safety reminder follows an increase in the number of incidents involving farming equipment coming into contact with overhead powerlines.
“Transporting an oversized load can be dangerous,” reminds Lauree Arnold, Horizon Power’s Customer and Community Manager.
“To keep our community safe, we may need to move, raise or shield powerlines, provide a road escort or even temporarily switch off power.
“If you need to transport an oversized load across the Horizon Power network, please remember to apply for a high load permit to ensure safety precautions are observed when close to powerlines.”
Ms Arnold said the permits applied to loads higher than 4.3 metres (4.6 metres for livestock vehicles travelling on nominated routes) or wider than 5.5 metres.
Transport operators should refer to Main Roads before applying for a high load permit with Horizon Power. Standard applications take approximately three days to process.
“As always safety is our number one priority. We remind customers to always
observe safe work practices near electrical infrastructure and be mindful of the height and reach of equipment, especially when driving or moving machinery.”
Plant and machinery such as irrigation pipes, grain augers, elevators, grain silos, cranes and excavators all have the potential to pull down overhead powerlines, which can cause electric shocks and result in serious injury or death.
“We recommend property owners inspect their private electricity infrastructure at least once a year and check for any signs of deterioration. We also encourage residents to mark the location of power poles and powerlines on their property, with reflective, high-visibility tape,” Ms Arnold explained.
Horizon Power reminds customers they don’t need to come into direct contact with powerlines to receive an electric shock, as electricity can ‘jump’ or arc across air gaps.
Damage to electrical infrastructure can also cause fires, which have the potential to spread to other parts of the community.
If you see a fallen powerline, assume it is live, stay at least 10 metres away, warn others and call Horizon Power immediately on 13 23 51.
To apply for an oversized load permit or for more details visit horizonpower.com.au/ oversized loads or call 1800 772 501
You only have to step out of your door to see multiple incidences of people taking unnecessary risks on our roads or breaking the road rules. This is evidenced by Western Australia’s rising road toll – which is now at a decade high and we are only in July.
So why is the road toll rising? According to industry experts distracted driving and drug influence are the major contributors.
Vehicle-safety technology has vastly improved but experts and our own within the transport industry agree that this technology has made motorists less focused on driving than ever before.
Where has the personal responsibility for the way we drive and share the road with others gone?
The WA premier and Police Commissioner both made the call for more care behind the wheel expressing their frustration and urging all road users to take responsibility for their own actions.
The WA Government has a road safety strategy, with a 2030 target of reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured by 50 to 70 per cent.
When taking into account the state’s growing population, estimated at around three per cent a year, Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner said it is putting upward pressure on the road toll.
“People needed to realise the choices they made behind the wheel could be the difference between a near miss and a fatal crash.
“There are over 2.1 million licensed drivers on our roads and 2.1 million answers to the question of why this year’s year-to-date road toll is the worst in 18 years” he said.
By Cliff Graham
ILearn to drive to the conditions of the road – and your own experience level
n this month’s edition I will begin exactly where I left off last edition –“Is the risk I’m about to take worth someone dying?”
These are just my own observations. Since my last column was published in WA Transport Magazine many people have died lately on Western Australian roads.
I know that three of those involved light vehicles who collided with heavy vehicles.
Just the other day I delivered a load of cattle to property in the Wheatbelt region. The wife of the farmer where I was unloading drove to the yards to tell me there was a truck rollover on the road, I had just travelled on to get to their farm and to avoid it on the return. What was unknown at the time was that a light vehicle was involved in that accident – and a man died.
Many people are blaming the recent huge influx of inexperienced foreign drivers as being the major problem in truck accidents on our roads. For the 50 plus years I have been around trucks there has always been accidents.
As population increases there is a much greater demand for the number of trucks needed on the roads to move freight and commodities which escalates the demand for drivers. Increased population means more light vehicle traffic added to the Boomers reaching retirement age and buying mobile homes or caravans, school holiday traffic or mine service vehicles –there is no doubt there are more vehicles on our roads.
So inevitably, it’s just maths – the straight up increase in traffic numbers is
an issue particularly when the hundreds of thousands of kilometres of road network constantly needs repair and improvements such as more overtaking lanes.
I believe there needs to be a genuine move to educate all road users to learn to ‘drive to the condition’s’ and not only the conditions of the road, but their own conditions - our own ability to drive safely based on our experience level.
I am reminded of a conversation I had with a close mate who I travelled a lot with over the years. We talked about when we
My point is maybe trucks could be speed limited to 90km/hr for ‘every’ new driver to the industry for a few months of a probation period
first started driving trucks. My first was a Commer Knocher which was an old truck then. I was 18 and thought I was king of the road. The next truck I drove was a Cabover 3000 White 653 GM with two gear sticks. Again, I thought I was king of the road at 18. These trucks wouldn’t even get to top gear when fully loaded and speed wasn’t an option. So, we learned from early days in the transport industry to get stuff
delivered safely and because nobody was in a hurry, nobody got hurt, nothing got bent and freight was delivered undamaged. The boss hammered it into us to drive to our own limit and be accountable for our own actions and wear it if we stuffed up.
My mate’s family started out with Fodens and B model Macks. I commented about his son learning to drive in a T650 Kenworth with a 425 hp engine and things he was battling with it. My mate laughed and said, “Yeah, a lot of young fellas now need to drive a B model or anything that has ‘less’ than 250 hp first”.
My truck had a little less horsepower than my mate’s so he would get up hills a little quicker. However, by the time he pulled up and got out and started checking his load and tyres I was pulling up behind him so at the end of the day we actually achieved the same outcome.
Obviously, things have changed in horsepower and improvements in technology which I believe does dumb down the driver to become just a steerer.
I know of large transport companies who have limited all of their road trains to 90km/hr and some companies who transport dangerous goods have speed limited their road trains to 90km/hr. So, my point is maybe trucks could be speed limited to 90km/hr for ‘every’ new driver to the industry for a few months of a probation period.
How do we get back to everyone treating everyone else on the road as a mate, and driving in such a considerate manner to ensure that mate gets home safely?
In the dynamic and fast-moving world of transport and logistics, ensuring that every road user makes it home safely is a shared responsibility. At the heart of this mission is TRANSAFE WA – a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving road safety outcomes across Western Australia, particularly at the intersection of heavy and light vehicle interactions.
Through a unique combination of education, awareness, and industry collaboration, TRANSAFE WA delivers impactful initiatives that are saving lives and shaping safer road habits – not just within the transport industry, but across the wider community.
Leading Education and Awareness Through iNSTRUCKTA! - One of TRANSAFE WA’s most recognisable contributions to the road safety landscape is iNSTRUCKTA!, the custom-built safety truck. This innovative mobile classroom travels across WA, engaging school students, regional communities, industry groups, and event attendees in hands-on learning experiences. From understanding truck blind spots and stopping distances
to navigating safe sharing of the road, iNSTRUCKTA! provides practical, relatable education that sticks.
The goal is simple: to give every road user – especially young drivers – a clear understanding of how their actions around heavy vehicles can significantly influence outcomes on our roads.
Whether it’s at a school in the Great Southern, a community fair in the Goldfields, or a regional transport industry safety forum, TRANSAFE WA’s presence is all about proactive engagement. Since its launch, iNSTRUCKTA! has attended over 150 community events and delivered heavy vehicle awareness to more than 45,000 thousand Western Australians. But this wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing support of the TRANSAFE WA safety partners and sponsors.
The Power of Partnership - Behind every kilometre iNSTRUCKTA! travels and every conversation they have about road safety stands a network of dedicated organisations who believe that safer roads begin with informed choices. TRANSAFE WA’s safety partners and sponsors play a critical role
in enabling the valuable work that they do. This investment allows TRANSAFE WA to develop resources and new road safety initiatives, attend community events, maintain iNSTRUCKTA! and its equipment, and extend their reach into more communities each year.
It is this shared vision and collaborative approach that has made TRANSAFE WA such a trusted and effective voice in the road safety space. By partnering with those who work on, manage, and use our road networks daily, they ensure their programs are practical, relevant, and informed by real-world experience.
A Shared Responsibility - In Western Australia, the challenges of road safety are vast – large distances, high-speed regional roads, a growing number of road users of all ages and abilities. In this environment, heavy vehicles are essential to the movement of goods and services. But they also present unique risks, particularly when light vehicle drivers are unaware of how to safely interact with them.
That’s where TRANSAFE WA’s work makes the greatest impact: reducing the knowledge
gaps and building a culture of mutual respect on the road. As they continue to grow their programs and reach new audiences, TRANSAFE WA remains committed to working closely with their partners to improve outcomes for all road users. If your organisation values safety, and sustainability in the transport sector, TRANSAFE WA invites you to invest in a
cause that delivers real impact –on the road, in our communities, and for your people. As their Foundation Chairperson the late Steve Post frequently used to say “everyone who uses our roads should expect to go out and come back safely to their families every time".
The goal is simple: to give every road user – especially young drivers – a clear understanding of how their actions around heavy vehicles can significantly influence outcomes on our roads
The 2025-26 State Budget will include more than $1 billion in new transport spending including $4 million to establish a new Driver and Vehicle Services centre in the Armadale/Byford area.
A total of $599 million has been allocated across a range of road projects including widening of the Kwinana Freeway between Roe Highway and Mortimer Road, grade separation of the Reid Highway and Erindale Road intersection. intersection improvements along Wanneroo Road. construction of roundabouts at the intersections of Kargotich Road with Abernethy Road, Orton Road and Gossage Road and an upgrade of the intersection of Nicholson Road and Warton Road. Investment of $25 million has also been allocated to the Northam Pithara Road upgrades. The works will include road realignment and bridge replacements.
For the regions, $25 million for major
Women make up just 6.4 per cent of Australia’s truck driving workforce. It’s a higher proportion than Europe (3.2 per cent), but lags behind the US (6.9 per cent).
ATA Marketing and Corporate Partnerships Director Bianca D’Rosario said, “As the industry faces labour shortages and increasing pressure to modernise, improving gender diversity is both urgent and strategic. Women remain an underutilised labour pool, and research shows that woman drivers have fewer accidents, better compliance and lower turnover,” Bianca said.
upgrades to South Coast Highway between Cheyne Road and Kojaneerup, $7.7 million to upgrade Coolgardie's main street and $3 million to address access issues at Austin Lakes in South Yunderup.
Additional funding will be allocated
Arecord investment in Western Australia’s current and future workforce has come with $331 million allocated in the 2025-26 State Budget across a range of programs.
This builds on the government's record of restoring WA’s TAFEs and boosting course enrolments with affordable and fee-free TAFE to help meet the workforce needs of the State.
The WA government made an election commitment to establish the state’s first dedicated Heavy Vehicle Driver Training facility and $17.4 million will go to establish the new facility in Neerabup, facilitated by North Metropolitan TAFE.
WA transport minister Rita Saffioti says the new TAFE-run facility will train 170 students a year from 2026, helping to meet demand for transport, logistics, civil
$17.4 million to establish the state’s first dedicated Heavy Vehicle Driver Training facility at Neerabup
construction and mining industries.
It will include heavy rigid trucks and trailers, forklift trucks, a high-tech Heavy Vehicle Driving Simulator and wide roads that are suitable for providing practical onroad skilled driver training.
The centre is seen as an extension of the highly successful state-funded Heavy Vehicle Driving Operations Skill Set program devised by the Western Roads
“To meet future freight demands, we must tap into the full range of human potential.”
2023 research from Volvo Group Australia found that beyond licensing, cultural barriers and safety concerns deterred women from entering the industry.
Volvo’s Iron Women program addresses these by providing vocational training for women with no prior experience, helping them become job-ready heavy vehicle operators. To find out more visit www.volvotrucks. com.au/en-au/about-us/careers/ironwomen.html
to the State Government's landmark Regional Road Safety Program, with $200 million to be invested to deliver road safety treatments on local government roads over the next four years and a further $50 million in 2028-29.
Federation (WRF) which has trained hundreds of much-needed transport and logistics, civil construction and mining workers in partnership with industry.
WRF and the Transport Workers Union in WA had been working together to establish a dedicated facility for some time.
TWU WA State Secretary Tim Dawson said, “The TWU has been fighting for years to ensure proper training and career pathways for heavy vehicle drivers. This announcement shows that the Cook Government listened to industry voices and is taking real action to address the driver shortage.”
“The TWU has also been calling for an apprenticeship-style career path, accredited training, and the introduction of a skills passport to ensure that transport workers receive relevant, standardised, and portable training throughout their careers.
“This funding is a great start, we need to build a long-term plan that includes full-time employment, better wages, and stronger industry regulation to make transport a safer and more attractive career option,” Mr Dawson said.
By LARA JENSEN
It is high time government and industry stopped deflecting responsibility and started acting
Tand urgent recommendation – that locomotives must be fitted with external auxillary lighting to improve visibility,” Mr Hunter said.
“Twenty-five years on, there are still no mandatory national standards in place. This is not just a policy failure on both sides of politics. It is a failure to act in the face of preventable tragedy.
Mr Hunter made a special tribute to the parents and families of Jess, Hilary and Christian.
“To Jess’ parents Merrilea and David Broad, Hilary’s parents George and Sally Smith, and Christian’s parents, Laurie and Catherine Jensen… our hearts remain with you,” he said.
“No words can ever heal the loss of a child, but we will carry their memories with us and with that our shared responsibility to ensure such a loss is never repeated.”
In June, Mr Hunter wrote to CBH, Southern Shorthaul Rail, Aurizon, Pacific National and the WA Transport Minister demanding action.
“If a basic lighting retrofit prevents even one collision, it’s worth every cent,” Mr Hunter said. “Silence from decision-makers speaks volumes.”
Mr Hunter’s gutsy leadership on this protracted public safety issue reinforces the strong Nationals WA policy position taken to the State election in March this year. Nationals WA leader Shane Love announced his election commitment to mandate rotating beacons, side lighting, and enhanced reflectors on all trains and rolling stock at a media conference on 16 January 2025.
The Nationals policy aligns with recommendations from three train national train lighting reports commissioned in the last four years by the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) - the Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation (ACRI) Freight Train Visibility Review (2021), and two consecutive Monash Institute of Railway Technology (MIRT) reports (2023) and (2024) that all found increased train lighting improves their visibility.
he 25th anniversary of the deaths of my youngest brother Christian Jensen and his friends Jess Broad and Hilary Smith at a notorious Wheatbelt crossing on July 8, 2000, has been marked by extensive media coverage in both the metro and rural media in addition to renewed calls by the Nationals WA for mandatory train and rolling stock visibility lighting.
Leading the charge for change is intrepid local Nationals Member for Central Wheatbelt Lachlan Hunter MP who is calling the WA State Labor Government to introduce mandatory auxiliary lighting on Australia’s freight and passenger trains following coronial recommendations requesting these safety improvements in 2001 – just a year after the triple fatality that claimed the lives of Christian, Jess and Hilary that still remain unacted upon by our government to this day.
Lachlan Hunter released a press release on the anniversary and gave interviews on 6PR radio and Triple M Rural Focus in addition to the 7News Regional television with a message that is clear – train lighting reform is decades overdue.
“A coronial inquest into the Yarramony tragedy made a clear
The Sunday Times and Countryman newspapers marked the 25th anniversary with special features written by journalist Cally Dupe that detailed decades of stonewalling by the rail industry and legislative inaction by the government on train lighting specifically despite coronial recommendations, committee enquiry findings in addition to recent train lighting trial findings.
For our families though this advocacy battle is not just about improving safety – it is also about rail industry and government accountability and the need to ensure rural lives are valued equally. Currently they are not, nor have they been for decades.
Independent road and rail safety researcher Dr Brett Hughes wrote in an opinion piece in the for the Countryman newspaper in the same edition as the 25th anniversary feature that, ‘public safety is a human right that governments and their agencies should protect diligently.’
No other industry in Australia is allowed to continuously ignore the risks they create as part of their business operations, keep recording the fatalities that eventuate, and continue to do nothing about them as the rail industry is permitted to do.
As Lachlan Hunter stated, it is high time government and industry stopped deflecting responsibility and started acting.
“Enough excuses. Enough delays. Let the legacy of Jess, Hilary and Christian be a safer rail network for every Australian family.”
By KEVIN TOOVEY
The HCVC of WA has been going for more than twenty years and many of our members have a truck or two in their shed or garage that they are currently working on. There are also many fully restored historical trucks in the club. Our aim as a club is to raise the profile of historic commercial vehicles to the public. It is a hobby that may appeal to people from the transport industry as they would
have many of the skills required and the interest as well.
Two of our long-term members can no longer drive their trucks, but their work and trucks can still be appreciated. Des Curtis has restored three trucks, an International Loadstar, Dodge Kew and International AR110 and as a very active member, Des took them to many local events. Des also helped organise the cups of tea and coffee
after our monthly meetings. It takes people like Des to get others to stay and chat after the meetings.
Lindsay Hill was the newsletter editor for a long time. He has restored a Dennis fire engine, Chev truck, Ford Model T, Chrysler Bus and stationary engines in his workshop. Lindsay had a wide range of vehicle interests. I met Lindsay at a GM car day at Bassendean oval, he suggested I join the HCVC, not long after I became the editor of the HCVC newsletter and then bought my Dodge for a restoration project.
Both Des and Lindsay have also helped other members with their restorations, their knowledge, time and workshop space has been greatly apricated and valued by many members.
By Russell McKinnon
From the May One Voice: A new era it seems is beginning at Fremantle Ports with a number of big changes operating, underway and on the horizon. The Rous Head development is undergoing major changes with 75 percent of the North Quay Rail Terminal extension now complete, extending the length from 400m to 800m with this project to be finished by the end of June. In addition, the new tenants, Stevenson’s and CCS, have moved into their part of the reclaimed land. Works are still continuing on the other three areas, which will bring big changes to the port with ACFS/Tyne, Toll and QUBE moving in.
Patricks is keen to keep ahead of the game with a number of changes coming in the next month or so. From June 3 there will no longer be a 24-hour in-advance slot drop — it will move to 48 hours. In line with this the seven-day advance booking will be removed, however, country carriers will not lose out with negotiations to happen individually and on a case-by-case basis.
The article in the Sunday Times (May 4) regarding the extension to the Roe Highway is a potential minefield of wheeling and dealing, that is if it ever sees the light of day. A Tollway for Heavy Commercial Vehicles is not even funny, especially when recent State Governments are responsible for the congestion that we see daily on our roads! We have a perfect example of how government (Labor and Conservative) work and how they lack intestinal fortitude by NOT allowing the larger trucks to use a road that was planned, designed and built as the link between Kewdale and Fremantle (ie, Leach Highway). Yes, Leach Highway... just because it is a marginal seat, both sides of politics do not have the common sense to do what is in the best interests
of the public. How about building noise reducing walls (eg, Tullamarine Freeway into Melbourne) and allow the most appropriate road to be used, as planned, designed, and built for its original purpose, namely to allow the movement of heavy vehicles (ie, the road transport sector) between Kewdale and Fremantle Port. Former Transport Minister Simon O'Brien MLC promised to re-open the Leach Highway to heavy vehicles immediately if the Conservative Government won Government from Labor with Alan Carpenter as their leader. They did... the Conservatives beat Labor; BUT Leach Highway has remained closed to heavy road transport and that was six-plus years ago – one could really be cynical, but what would that achieve? The planning of the Leach Highway goes back to the early 1960s – I wonder how many of the residents were there when the highway opened? Leach Highway is just the same – my guess is that between 0 percent and 5 percent were there when the highway opened. It's just like those who purchase properties near airports then commence a concerted attack to reduce both the efficiency and operations of the airport. Therefore, build your tollway if you can and watch the environmentalists emerge in vast numbers – slow the process down, fight every issue regarding the fauna and flora and then by, say 2025-2030, we may see something, that is as long as the money is available! The road transport industry should NOT solely be levied a toll; all other motorists including taxis, should be levied as they will be getting an additional major road to help them move east-west and reverse on various roads whilst heavy vehicles are limited to one. Where is the commonsense to this route planning? Apart from the extension of the Roe Highway, Stock Road
A Tollway for Heavy Commercial Vehicles is not even funny, especially when recent State Governments are responsible for the congestion that we see daily on our roads
also needs major work; the intersection of Stock Road and Leach Highway is a very dangerous corner, which requires trucks to virtually stop then commence the climb up the hill. Please think what you are doing! Negotiating something that is slowly gaining momentum, which requires attending to some very long outstanding issues, including the intersection of High Street and the Stirling Highway, is only one issue that fits into the jigsaw of Leach Highway, Canning Highway, Stock Road, Roe Highway, and the Stirling Bridge. What a pity former Transport Minister Alannah MacTiernan oversaw and directed the demise of the White Gum Valley planned route to the Stirling Bridge and the Stirling Highway. Oh well, that's politics and we really are over it, aren't we?
The Livestock and Rural Transport Association of Western Australia (Inc) is the only transport association in WA specifically representing rural transporters.
We are a strong voice for rural WA, ensuring that policy decisions support the viability and safety of rural transporters, primary industry and the communities they service.
Members of the Management Committee are hands on business people, most of whom would drive a truck weekly and travel on nearly every road in WA’s 150,000 km road network in the course of a year.
This close proximity between transporting operations and the advisory role means that representatives of the Association are at the coal face and as such are able to provide that all too rare practical hands on advice in committees, consultative forums and meetings.
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