Once again the media has decided to target ‘monster trucks’ as their pet hate of the month. This is largely thanks to former Victorian Minister for Roads & Ports in the Brumby Government, Tim Pallas, who released a statement claiming that the Baillieu Government has a ‘secret plan’ to allow ‘monster trucks’ to gain access to Victorian roads that “could devastate the quality of life of many local communities”.
What a joke. When Pallas was in Government he worked closely with the VTA and industry and espoused the view that Higher Productivity Vehicles were the only solution for freight in Victoria and that it was just a matter of public perception. Now we have a major backflip of typical Politician style.
The fact is Tim Pallas failed to deliver safe and efficient access for innovative heavy vehicle combinations to boost flagging economic productivity in Victoria.
We hope the Baillieu Government will not dither like the previous Government but will work with industry to deliver much needed reforms.
With politicians spouting such rubbish, it is no wonder the media gobbles it up and the public are scared of ‘monster trucks’. Following the statement from Pallas, the Herald Sun penned an article sub-titled ‘on-road giants a huge danger’ which stated bigger trucks “fly in the face of common sense”.
Then after being approached by Today Tonight, VTA Deputy CEO, Neil Chambers, spent hours being interviewed and arranged truck filming in the Port of Melbourne. He clearly and effectively stated that Higher Productivity Vehicles are actually safer and take more trucks off the road.
What did this result in? A five minute story about ‘monster trucks’ which barely covered real facts let alone a balanced view.
The road transport industry is as concerned about road safety as the general public.
Super B-doubles and A-doubles that meet PBS are a safer vehicle option than normal semi-trailers and B-doubles. They have better braking systems, front and side underrun protection, and good roll stability and tracking performance. Also, they will be towed by Euro IV prime movers that emit less greenhouse gas emissions, and are driven by drivers with years of experience in handling multi-combination vehicles.
And a Super B-double, or an A-double carrying four 20ft Equivalent Units (TEUs) in a container configuration, or designed to carry other goods and commodities, will mean less trucks on the road to meet the demands of the road freight task.
The VTA is also calling for ‘time of day’ restrictions to be lifted from any future operating criteria.
It is artificial and counter-productive to restrict road access for these vehicle types during peak periods. Indeed, it is better to have fewer, safer vehicle combinations on our roads and freeway networks during peak periods than more semi-trailers and B-doubles for the given freight task.
Freight transport is a 24 hour, seven day a week activity. Indeed, to meet the growing demand for freight to support the standard of living and lifestyles of all Victorians, the road transport industry needs to be able to effectively utilise the existing road network during all hours of the day and night.
Pallas is wrong and is scare-mongering. The industry is not calling for ‘open slather’. We want to work with the Baillieu Government to analyse freight networks of significance, and achieve access that ensures public road safety and efficient and sensible use of road infrastructure.
But I’m preaching to the converted here.
To find out more about the VTA, please visit www.vta.com.au.
Philip Lovel AM
CEO