The heavy vehicle industry is a step closer to introducing Electronic Work Diaries (EWDs) and if approved they could result in fewer truck drivers appearing in Orange Local Court where they risk losing licences and careers over rest break calculation errors.
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In November, a truck driver from Millthorpe was fined $1500 and ordered to pay $440 in professional costs at Orange Local Court after he only had five hours and 15 minutes continuous rest, instead of the regulated seven hours in a 24 hour period.
He was fined despite taking longer shorter breaks than the minimum required throughout the day and the five and a quarter hours being part of a longer 14-hour break.
To reduce the chance of such errors happening in future, a move has been made to allow truck divers to record work and rest times on an electronic device.
Those involved in the industry had until January 30 to comment on a Policy Framework and Standards for Electronic Work Diaries (EWDs) that would see the change introduced.
Road Transport Lawyers solicitor David King represents truck driver’s in Orange Local Court and said the EWD help take out some of the human error which comes about when drivers complete their log books in accordance with “some pretty complex rules of counting work and rest hours”.
“The most frequent offence I see in the courts in my 10 years of practicing in heavy vehicle law is drivers [being] understandably confused about when the seven hour continuous compulsory rest break must be taken in ‘any relevant 24 hour period’,” Mr King said.
“The maximum fine for this offence exceeds $10,000 and a loss of demerit points.
“Sometimes the loss of these points puts in jeopardy a driver’s licence and their livelihood and that of their family.”
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Safety and Productivity executive director Geoff Casey said if approved it would be be a win for the heavy vehicle industry, a boost for safety through fatigue management, and the technology would have the potential to alert drivers when a rest break is required.
The news comes as statistics, released by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics reveal NSW truck deaths have increased by more than 86 per cent in the 12 months to September when deaths leapt from 29 to 54.
Tanya Marschke
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
