Truckies to be tracked by satellite

(Source: Heath Gilmore and Samantha Freestone, The Sun-Herald, 20/08/07)

Satellite technology will be used to make sure semitrailers stick to new approved heavy vehicle routes.

The national global positioning system monitoring scheme means trucks will be allowed to carry heavier loads on those routes, NSW Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal has confirmed.

About 2200 heavy vehicles have registered for the Intelligent Access Program, beginning in November.

Lobbying has begun for state governments to commit to new laws targeting truckies who drive when tired and bosses who force them to stay on the road.

It is understood the National Transport Commission will push for laws allowing drivers, now permitted to work 14 hours non-stop, to work a maximum of 12 hours a day. It also aims to educate drivers on how to manage fatigue.

Trucks were involved in 127 deaths in Australia in the year to March 2006, the latest period for which figures are available, says Monash University’s Accident Research Centre.

Mr Roozendaal said the access program would increase safety and improve infrastructure management by ensuring heavy vehicles followed approved routes.

"Global positioning technology will be used to track heavy vehicles as part of the new higher mass limits routes that have been introduced," he said. "A national approach for the use of this technology was agreed to by all Australian transport ministers."

Lyndal Denny, who created the Coast to Coast 100 campaign, a website for aggrieved motorists to report misbehaving and aggressive truck drivers, said any initiative to make our roads safer must be taken seriously.

"From a road safety point of view, greater monitoring is good as long as its thorough and continuous," she said.

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