Industry News

FREIGHT INNOVATION TRIALS TO BEGIN IN VICTORIA

gtr-news-truckindesert-lgeThe Victorian Government is sponsoring a new framework to trial technology on the Victorian road network – technology it says will improve the operation of heavy vehicles and promote the state as Australia’s freight and logistics capital.

Minister for Roads, Luke Donnellan, called on the heavy vehicle, freight and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) industries to contribute innovative approaches to using ITS and associated technology, to improve the productivity and safety of road freight transport.

Mr Donnellan said VicRoads and Transport Certification Australia (TCA) would assess proposals against a set of strategic and technical principles, and implement trials over the next 12 months.

He said the range of ideas could include technologies that:

• improve traffic signals for heavy vehicles;

• advise drivers of rest area locations so they can manage fatigue;

• alert them of low clearance routes or other restricted routes; or

• link them with the rail network to help avoid delays around rail crossings.

This initiative, Mr Donnellan said, was part of the Victorian Freight and Logistics Plan which aimed to develop freight technology demonstration projects that improved the way Victoria’s roads were managed and improved transport and logistics routes.

If a trial of a technology proved successful, VicRoads could build a business case for securing government funding to further develop and implement the technology across the road transport sector.

Mr Donnellan said the freight and logistics sector contributed between $19 billion and $23 billion, representing eight per cent of Victoria’s annual Gross State Product (GSP).

He said the government was working with businesses and utilising their knowledge and ideas to make the freight industry safer and more efficient.

“If a trial of a technology proves successful, VicRoads can build a business case for securing Victorian Government funding to further develop and implement that technology across the road transport sector.”

VicRoads Director of Road Operations, Dean Zabrieszach, said VicRoads and Transport Certification Australia were asking the heavy vehicle, freight and ITS industries to come forward with innovative proposals to trial ITS and technologies that could make the freight and logistics sector safer and more reliable.

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