The new laws are part of a national package developed by the National Transport Commission to improve the management of fatigue and speed across the heavy vehicle industry. 

Fatigue is one of the biggest causes of crashes for heavy vehicle drivers and these new regulations are about making our roads safer and driving down the road toll, an RTA spokesperson said.

“The new heavy vehicle laws focus on the cause of driver fatigue rather than just regulating hours.

“Under chain of responsibility provisions certain parties in the supply chain, not just the driver, have a duty to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the driver does not drive while fatigued or drive in breach of their work and rest option.

“It is illegal to enter into a contract or make a request or demand that would result in a fatigue related breach.”

The regulations apply to heavy trucks or truck and trailer combinations over 12 tonnes and buses that seat over 12 adults including the driver. 

The industry will have a choice of operating under three fatigue management schemes:

• A standard hour option with a maximum driving hours of 12 hours in any period of 24 hours with specific limits on work and rest,
• A basic fatigue management option which allows flexibility within a set minimum rest and maximum work hours (14 hours work in any 24 hour period); and
• An advanced fatigue management option based on a risk management approach with operating and outer limits of 15 hours work in any 24 hour period in NSW.

Under the regulations, Government contract buses are exempt from the work diary requirement, along with all bus and coach drivers who travel within 100km of the driver base.

The Government announced last week that it would introduce a number of other exemptions.

Emergency services vehicles are exempt from the new regulations.

In addition, other exemptions have been introduced for 12 months to give the RTA time to consult with the industry and primary producers. The exemptions include:

• Exempting drivers engaging on journeys for the purpose of primary production from filling out the work diary and record keeping if they travel less than 160km from the driver base; and
• Exempting truck drivers on standard hours from filling in the work diary if they don’t travel more than 100km from the driver base.

For more information click here to go to the Heavy vehicle driver fatigue reform webpage.