Australasian Transport News (ATN)

The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) welcomes Premier Ben Carroll’s announcement of the new Victorian Cabinet and Ministry and congratulates all ministers on their appointments. The VTA particularly welcomes the retention of Melissa Horne as Minister for Ports and Freight, providing continuity across one of Victoria’s most critical economic portfolios.

The end of 2026 will mark the end of an era for Daimler Truck Australia Pacific with the news that long time CEO Daniel Whitehead will be leaving his role. Whitehead has been with Daimler Truck and Mercedes-Benz for three decades, and has been in his current role with Daimler Truck for the past 12 years. Whitehead says his time with Daimler Truck and Mercedes-Benz has been immensely satisfying. “I have enjoyed every minute of my 30-year career with this remarkable company,” he says.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s What’s Your 20? podcast has reached a major milestone, surpassing 15,000 downloads and 26,000 plays since launching in November 2025. With both seasons now available to binge, listeners can dive into hours of conversations with some of the biggest names in the heavy vehicle industry, exploring the issues shaping the future of road transport, sharing stories from life on the road and hearing firsthand from the people making a difference across the sector.

Australia’s heavy vehicle industry is now operating under the amended Heavy Vehicle National Law following the reforms’ commencement on 1 August 2026. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator described the changes as the most significant overhaul of national heavy vehicle regulation since the law was introduced in 2012. The amended framework places greater emphasis on proactive risk management, shared responsibility and safety outcomes rather than relying primarily on traditional compliance responses.

The first locally manufactured girders have arrived for the Capricorn Highway connector bridge on the Rockhampton Ring Road. The 841-metre structure will require 150 Super T-girders and form one of the largest bridges on the new freight route. Across the $1.98 billion project, 976 girders are being manufactured in Rockhampton for 17 bridges. The milestone moves the connector bridge into its next construction phase. What is being built at the Capricorn Highway?

Major reconstruction works have been completed at Cunninghams Gap, restoring a bushfire-damaged section of the Cunningham Highway. The project has stabilised the mountainside, strengthened the road against severe weather and rockfall hazards, and improved the steep ascent near the crest for heavy vehicles. Around 6000 vehicles continued using the corridor each day during construction. What work was completed at Cunninghams Gap?

Heavy vehicles will progressively pay 3.15 times the light vehicle toll across most of Sydney’s motorway network under a broader package of toll reforms. The coordinated pricing structure will begin from July 1, 2027 and will apply across the network except for the Lane Cove Tunnel. The NSW Government also plans to pilot two heavy vehicle toll relief schemes for two years following consultation with the freight industry.

More than $3.8 million is available for infrastructure and safety upgrades at regional and remote airports across Western Australia. Airport owners and leaseholders can now apply through the 2027-29 Regional Airports Development Scheme. Eligible projects include improvements to runways, taxiways, terminals, fencing, lighting and navigational aids. Applications close on September 4, 2026. What airport projects can receive funding?

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has issued a maintenance warning after a brake drum exploded from a moving truck and struck a following vehicle. The NSW incident occurred as the heavy vehicle was decelerating from high speed. NHVR data shows 6502 heavy vehicles received a brake defect notice across six jurisdictions between January and July 2026. That represented 28 per cent of the 23,195 vehicles issued with any defect notice during the period. What happened during the brake failure?

A new $3.1 million truck wash has opened at Smithton to support livestock transport, biosecurity and waste management in Tasmania’s far north-west. The three-bay facility includes two washdown bays designed for livestock vehicles up to twin-deck B-doubles. A third bay is available for other vehicles. Operators can wash down trucks and empty waste holding tanks before returning to public roads.