Owner/Driver #339
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
THE GOODS NEWS FROM THE HIGHWAY AND BEYOND<br />
ATA calls for truck dimension reform<br />
Andrew McKellar bemoans width<br />
and mass limits restrictions holding<br />
back new vehicle developments<br />
Above: ATA CEO Andrew McKellar<br />
INNOVATIVE TARPING SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY NEED<br />
Cover your load!<br />
Wind-out Hood Tarps<br />
Long Block<br />
Waterproof tarps<br />
Roll-Rite Gearmotors<br />
Tarping system components & solutions<br />
• Dual Cable Wind-out Tarps • Pivot Arm Systems • Electric Gear Drive Motors<br />
• Single Cable Wind-out Tarps • Electronic Controllers • Waste Tarps<br />
• Pull-out Tarps<br />
• Waterproof Systems<br />
• Roll-over Tarps<br />
• Asphalt Tarps<br />
NEW HEAVY-DUTY GEARBOXES<br />
New Heavy-Duty Gearboxes designed for the Aussie Market<br />
Updated high strength composite casing<br />
Up to 180 Nm of torque, keeping operation smooth and your tarp tight<br />
Easy to install and operate with Retractable Tarp’s one touch tarp controllers.<br />
Hardwired and wireless control options available<br />
Get yourself covered today!<br />
BRAND NEW EASY TO USE WEBSITE<br />
Australian Distributors of<br />
Dual Arm Systems<br />
Single Arm Systems<br />
OUT<br />
NOW!<br />
Visit www.retractabletarps.com.au<br />
or call 07 3889 9611 today!<br />
Factory: 28-30 Terrence Rd, Brendale QLD 4500. Email sales@retractabletarps.com.au<br />
OWD-QV-5188294-TS-336<br />
THE AUSTRALIAN TRUCKING<br />
ASSOCIATION (ATA) has taken aim at<br />
local truck dimension restrictions,<br />
saying the current rules prohibit<br />
the latest vehicle technology to<br />
enter Australian shores and must be<br />
overhauled.<br />
The call comes as the ATA releases a<br />
submission on heavy vehicle emission<br />
standards, Heavy Vehicle Emission<br />
Standards for Cleaner Air – Euro VI<br />
draft regulation impact statement,<br />
to the Department Of Infrastructure,<br />
Transport, Regional Development and<br />
Communications (DITRDC).<br />
The submission recommends<br />
increased width and mass for diesel<br />
trucks that meet the Euro 6 emission<br />
standard or equivalent, as well as<br />
electric and hydrogen trucks.<br />
“Australian trucks have a width of<br />
2.5 metres, with extra allowances for<br />
equipment such as tautliner curtain<br />
buckles, lights and removable load<br />
restraint equipment,” ATA CEO Andrew<br />
McKellar says.<br />
“In contrast, trucks in Europe are<br />
generally 2.55 metres wide and trucks<br />
in the US are 2.6 metres wide.<br />
“Electric and hydrogen trucks<br />
developed overseas will need to be<br />
redesigned for the Australian market<br />
to meet our dimension rules.<br />
“This will slow the rollout of zeroemission<br />
trucks in Australia.”<br />
McKellar says an increase in vehicle<br />
mass was also needed to encourage the<br />
purchase of newer, greener vehicles.<br />
“Euro VI, battery electric and<br />
hydrogen trucks are heavier, which<br />
reduces the amount of freight they can<br />
carry and their commercial viability,”<br />
he says.<br />
“There needs to be an extra 500kg axle<br />
mass allowance for single steer trucks<br />
and an extra 1,000kg for twin steer<br />
trucks,” he says.<br />
McKellar says zero-emission trucks<br />
were a reality and needed the right<br />
policy settings to increase their uptake<br />
in Australia.<br />
“We are getting to the stage<br />
now where international vehicle<br />
manufacturers are bringing electric<br />
vehicles to the market.<br />
“To support this, government must<br />
ensure vehicle standards regulations<br />
are flexible enough to allow that to<br />
happen.”<br />
The Euro series of standards regulate<br />
the emission of carbon monoxide,<br />
hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and<br />
particulates by on-road heavy diesel<br />
vehicles.<br />
All new trucks sold in Australia<br />
must, as a minimum, meet the Euro V<br />
standard or the equivalent US/Japanese<br />
standards.<br />
McKellar says the Government’s<br />
proposal to mandate Euro 6 or the<br />
equivalent US/Japanese standards<br />
should be brought forward to January 1,<br />
2024 for new truck models and January<br />
1, 2025 for new trucks generally.<br />
The government’s current proposal is<br />
to mandate Euro 6 or its equivalents for<br />
new truck models from July 1, 2027 and<br />
for new trucks from July 1, 2028.<br />
“After extensive consultation with<br />
our members, the ATA considers that<br />
we can now mandate Euro 6 and its<br />
equivalent standards earlier than<br />
originally planned, but the mass and<br />
width changes must come into force<br />
well in advance of January 1, 2024,”<br />
he says.<br />
The ATA’s full list of recommendations<br />
are:<br />
• The Australian government should<br />
mandate Euro VI emissions<br />
standards at Stage C and equivalent<br />
US and Japan standards for new<br />
heavy vehicle models from 1 January<br />
2024 and all new heavy vehicles<br />
from 1 January 2025, conditional<br />
on offsets to mitigate the cost to<br />
industry<br />
• The Australian government should<br />
not proceed with the proposal to<br />
mandate stage D of Euro VI emission<br />
standards for heavy vehicles<br />
• The Australian government should<br />
maintain all heavy vehicle categories<br />
on the same introduction timeline<br />
for implementing Euro VI emission<br />
standards<br />
• The Australian government should<br />
ensure that the final regulatory<br />
impact statement for mandating<br />
Euro VI emission standards for<br />
heavy vehicles complies with the<br />
Guide to Regulatory Impact Analysis,<br />
and actively include offsets for the<br />
additional proposed regulatory cost<br />
burden on industry<br />
• The Australian, state and territory<br />
governments should deliver vehicle<br />
standard offsets for Euro VI heavy<br />
vehicles, including an additional<br />
500kg axle mass for steer trucks, an<br />
additional 1,000kg axle mass for twin<br />
steer trucks and increasing heavy<br />
vehicle width<br />
• The Australian government should<br />
ensure that the vehicle standard<br />
offsets for Euro VI heavy vehicles<br />
are delivered well in advance of<br />
the implementation of Euro VI as a<br />
mandatory standard<br />
• The Australian government should<br />
extend the vehicle standard offsets<br />
delivered for Euro VI heavy vehicles<br />
to hydrogen fuel cell and battery<br />
electric heavy vehicles<br />
• The Australian government should<br />
implement Japan pPNLT-2017<br />
and USA EPA 2013 as equivalent<br />
international standards to Euro VI<br />
Stage C<br />
• The Australian government should,<br />
in conjunction with states and<br />
territories, initiate reform to regulate<br />
off-road engine emissions.<br />
It has been noted recently that, by<br />
current standards, a Tesla semi truck<br />
would not fit the current criteria and<br />
the maker has made a submission to<br />
the National Transport Commission’s<br />
Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL)<br />
review.<br />
14 APRIL 2021 ownerdriver.com.au