In November, the National Transport Commission (NTC) will present a concept paper on how best to address the prolonged A-trailer debate as quickly as possible.
According to a recent press release, the NTC’s Solutions Working Group (SWG) will present the paper at the first meeting of the Standing Committee of Transport and Infrastructure next month.
During the winter season, the SWG investigated the transport industry’s on-going concern about A-trailer charges and entered discussions with peak industry bodies, operators and governments to develop a more detailed understanding of the issues faced by the industry.
Now the SWG held a second meeting to discuss both short-term and long-term options to address these issues, and also consulted with heavy vehicle operators to better understand the benefits and practicality of each option.
In September, these options were presented to the heads of transport departments and road agencies, obtaining approval to go ahead and further develop the options in a paper to be presented to Transport Ministers in November.
Some of the issues reported by operators:
- Pricing issues experienced by operators differ greatly depending on geographic location, industry sector and vehicle usage.
- Large annual registration charges are posing significant cash flow problems for some operators.
- Registration charges are more difficult to recoup in freight charges compared to fuel.
- A-trailer charges make it more difficult for B-doubles and B-triples to compete against road trains.
- A-trailer charges result in a reduction in the resale value of an A- trailer.
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