Australasian Transport News (ATN)

Truckies heading to Launceston in Tasmania along the Bass Highway have a new place to stop for some shut eye with the opening of a heavy vehicle driver rest area near Westbury. With shelter, seating, lighting and toilet facilities, the new rest area has capacity for up to 15 heavy vehicles, and includes a deceleration and slip lane to allow trucks to enter and exit the facilities smoothly.

NTI proudly congratulates executive general manager – commercial, Mike Edmonds, for receiving the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) Outstanding Contribution to the Australian Trucking Industry Award. The award acknowledges a longstanding commitment to improving the trucking industry through the operation or contribution to industry activities.

A $2.5 million investment into upgraded training facilities at TAFE NSW Wetherill Park has been welcomed by the Australian Logistics Council. The funding will deliver a covered outdoor learning area for hands-on heavy vehicle training, including dismantling and assembly, as well as upgrades to the campus engineering grinding room, including improved extraction systems and safety measures. ALC CEO Dr Hermione Parsons says the investment is a practical response to the acute workforce challenge.

The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has called on the federal government to immediately extend the suspension of the road user charge for heavy vehicles until the end of the year as fuel concerns grow again. Following the renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz, NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says Australia can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of March when diesel prices first surged and operators were pushed to breaking point. “If trucks stop, Australia stops,” Clark says.

Ten new heavy vehicle rest stops have been marked across the Upper Hunter, giving truck drivers clearer guidance to safe stopping areas on two of New South Wales’ key regional freight corridors. The NSW Government has installed green reflector markers along sections of the Golden Highway and New England Highway, making it easier for drivers to identify suitable informal rest areas, particularly at night or in poor visibility.

Western Australia has opened consultation on a draft roll coupling policy that could introduce new safety requirements for trailers used in Restricted Access Vehicle combinations. Main Roads Western Australia’s Heavy Vehicle Services team announced the consultation on June 8, with the proposed policy aimed at reducing rollover crashes and improving heavy vehicle safety.

Victorian Transport Association members will receive new fuel discounts under a partnership with Viva Energy Australia, as operators continue to face high fuel costs and prepare for the return of the full fuel excise from 1 July. The offer will provide VTA members who sign up for a Shell Card with a 10.5 cents per litre discount on diesel for the first 12 months, along with no ongoing card fees.

NHVR urges drivers to prioritise their physical and mental health ahead of Men’s Health Week. In a new episode of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) What’s Your 20? podcast, veteran truck driver Damien Black talks about his struggles with physical and mental health and how the long-haul lifestyle made it difficult to change his habits.

It’s taken 15 years of planning, seven years of construction and a year of testing, and now it’s time to fly for real. The Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), otherwise known as Nancy-Bird Walton Airport, will send out its first official Qantas Freight flight on Sunday, July 26. While WSI will begin freight operations then, it won’t be until 1 November 2026 that it will be open for night aircraft movements, in line with the Sydney Airport Curfew Act 1995.

Global supply chain business DHL has announced the expansion of its data centre logistics capabilities across the Asia Pacific region. In a move designed to support growing regional demand, the expansion includes more than 30,000 square metres of dedicated warehouse capacity currently in operation across Asia Pacific, with a further 130,000 square metres committed for expansion.