$30 million of transport upgrades through mid-west

Driving change for a better trucking industry

Thirteen of Australia’s newest diversity champions are set to take part in a groundbreaking initiative by the ATA and Teletrac Navman to improve industry image, build a stronger workforce and showcase opportunity.

The 2021 Driving Change Diversity Program will showcase its champions through a social media storytelling series, highlighting the diverse and varied opportunities on offer in the Australian trucking industry.

Champions will then be hosted at the ATA’s Trucking Australia conference in September for an intensive workshop where they will learn how to create change and facilitate diversity in their workplace and community, share personal insights, and develop clear action items on how to drive change within industry.

WA is represented by David Haoust, whose vision for the transport industry is to see wide acceptance of people from diverse backgrounds, with organisations harnessing everyone’s strength and positivity. Director of Go West Tours in Bunbury Western Australia, David has a strong and proactive approach towards diversity in the workplace.

In developing his company’s values, David and his management team have encouraged diversity in the workplace and, as a result, have a wonderful mix of people from a variety of nationalities, sexualities, cultures, and religious beliefs.

To David, diversity means accepting and nurturing all people for the greater cause of positive human interaction, so people can live happy and healthy lives, passing on goodwill throughout their communities. David is also keen to see the industry create more avenues for employment and a stronger network of people from all backgrounds.

As a 2021 Driving Change Diversity Champion, David hopes to become an ambassador for change and bring positive learnings back to his workplace for both clients and employees. David wishes to build a network of like-minded, open people who are willing to share their knowledge and experience.

Charges filed against national transport company

The NHVR has filed charges against a national transport company and its executive, following a nine-month investigation into the company’s business practices.

The NHVR initiated the investigation following multiple vehicle collisions and Safe-T-Cam footage that identified breaches relating to the transport company.

Records for 15 drivers were analysed by NHVR Investigators revealing 225 fatigue and work diary breaches by the company.

A further 54 breaches were detected including contraventions of the HVNL Act, fatigue regulations and BFM rules, and included administrative errors within National Driver Work Diaries, critical breaches of excess work hours and insufficient rest breaks.

The NHVR has filed charges against a national transport company and its executive, following a nine-month investigation into the company’s business practices

The NHVR will allege that there were significant failings within the company’s scheduling ability and processes.

It will also be alleged that the company failed to provide adequate training to staff, or to follow up and address incidents of ongoing fatigue breaches. The subsequent risk to public safety was known to the company.

The matter is listed for a filing hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 31 May 2021.

$30 million of transport upgrades through MidWest

The WA State Government is delivering more than $30 million worth of transport upgrades across the Mid-West region including a $2.6 million intersection upgrade at Brand Highway and Barrett Drive in Geraldton. Upgrades to this intersection include installing a separate southbound left turn lane from Brand Highway into Barrett Drive, widening the intersection of Brand Highway and Barrett Drive and extending the dual southbound lanes on Brand Highway past Lockyer Road.

Other road upgrade projects underway across the Mid-West, jointly funded through the Regional Road Safety Program, and due to be completed by the end of July are: • $3.2 million to upgrade 32 kilometres of Brand Highway from Cooljarloo to Badgingarra; • $4.9 million to upgrade various sections of Indian Ocean Drive; • $13.8 million to upgrade 128 kilometres of Great Northern

Highway.

The State Government is also working to deliver its $1.2 million election commitment to widen Brand Highway at the intersection with West Bank Road in Greenough.

An additional $142 million for regional road safety

An additional $142 million has been allocated in the Federal Budget for the WA Regional Road Safety Program in the 2022-23 financial year.

This builds on the jointly funded $455 million program, currently being rolled out across WA, which will see around 7,000 kilometres of roads upgraded with low cost safety treatments.

Each year more than 100 people die on country roads and, of these, around 60 are the result of single vehicle run-off road crashes.

This funding is designed to address that type of tragedy, through the installation of audible edge lines and the sealing of road shoulders.

Work is already underway on delivering these treatments with the upgrades anticipated to be completed by July 2022.