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6.1Gaps in research

With regard to heavy vehicle speeding, speed management, and enforcement there are a number of areas that would benefit from further investigation. These are discussed below.

The majority of general enforcement literature is concerned with the speed of all road users. There is no real indication of the effectiveness of different enforcement strategies on the speeding behaviour of heavy vehicles. Research could identify the most effective strategies for heavy vehicle enforcement in rural and urban locations.

Effectively managing and enforcing the speeding behaviour of light vehicles appears to be another means for moderating the speeds of heavy vehicles. Point-to-point technologies could have benefits that are yet to be identified if utilised in the management and enforcement of all motor vehicles.
Identifying the factors that contribute to a heavy vehicle driver’s motivations for speeding may identify a number of driver, employer, or industry factors that could be used to better manage speed compliance. For example, should the majority of drivers speed in order to meet scheduling and delivery requirements, measures to address these issues may offer both simple and effective means for managing heavy vehicle speeds. Investigating ways to improve general knowledge on ecodriving, scheduling or trip planning skills would be beneficial to the industry as a whole.
Large scale evaluations of the effects of ISA and other speed management technologies are warranted and are likely forthcoming in the future as uptake of the technology increases.

The advent and capabilities of new technologies are changing the face of enforcement. This has a number of implications that may need to be addressed including how these technologies will be used by enforcement agencies and the development of minimum performance requirements with regard to the evidentiary suitability of data. Finally it will also be necessary to reassess existing enforcement practices and (possibly) the penalties associated with breaches.

7Accreditation schemes

Safety accreditation schemes provide an alternative means for ensuring heavy vehicle operator compliance with recognised safe operating standards. These standards address a range of issues including fitness to drive and driver health, training, vehicle maintenance, and the management of transport operations. Table 7 .17 provides an overview of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of accreditation and regulation schemes. Some of the key findings include:

Accreditation schemes such as TruckSafe and the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme have improved the safety of heavy vehicle operations. Evidence shows that accredited heavy vehicles have a lower crash risk when compared to non-accredited heavy vehicles.
Accreditation schemes provide an effective means for setting minimum standards for safe operating procedures.
There appears to be support for accreditation schemes throughout the industry with a number of accredited operators indicating that the benefits of accreditation outweigh the costs. Indeed a number of reports indicate accreditation benefits the productivity of the organisation however, the true nature and extent of these benefits have not been fully determined.

The advent of heavy vehicle accreditation schemes provide an indication of both the national government’s (the NHVAS) and heavy vehicle industry’s (the ATA’s TruckSafe) active involvement in improving the safety of the heavy vehicle industry.

Another development that may prove beneficial to the heavy vehicle industry is the promotion of road safety charters amongst organisations. Such charters encourage companies to become "good corporate citizens" and raise their standards in relation to road safety practices and culture. The European Road Safety Charter, an initiative of the European Commission, provides a good example of the potential for these schemes to involve a broad range of stakeholders (ERSC, 2011).

Table 7.17
Effectiveness of accreditation and regulation schemes

Authors	Type	Availability	Research	Findings
Walker (2010)	Conference paper	Public	Examines the Australian experience with regulatory accreditation and its role in providing greater policy responsivity to changing industry demands.	Draws on the experiences of heavy vehicle operators, industry associations, and regulators and examines the potential for the development of a 2-track regulatory system that balances the need for policy flexibility for industry bodies and effectively manages risks to the community.
Baas & Taramoeroa (2008)	Austroads report	Public	Seeks to determine the safety benefits of heavy vehicle accreditation schemes.	Accreditation provides a formal process that recognises operators who have good safety and management systems for vehicle maintenance, driver fatigue, and vehicle loading. On average vehicles accredited to TruckSafe or the NHVAS had 50% and 75% fewer crashes respectively than non-accredited vehicles. Operators perceived the benefits of accreditation as outweighing the costs. Operators were found to improve through the process of becoming accredited. Greater use of accreditation schemes should be encouraged as they are amongst the most effective means for advancing heavy vehicle safety.
National Transport Commission (2006)	Discussion paper	Public	Due to numerous policy changes and developments since the inception of the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme, analysis was undertaken to determine the safety benefits from accreditation. Analysis involved a comparison of the crash rates for accredited versus non-accredited operators between 2003 and 2005.	Non-accredited vehicles had a crash rate around 2.5 times higher than accredited vehicles.
Leyden, McIntyre, & Moore (2004)	Conference paper	Public	A paper providing an overview of Australian approaches toward improved compliance with heavy vehicle mass limits and the role of heavy vehicle accreditation schemes in mass compliance and enforcement.	Discusses the role of accreditation schemes in assisting operators with duty of care and for providing evidence that chain of responsibility obligations have been met.
Ironfield & Moore (2002)	Conference paper	Public	Examines the approaches to regulation of the road freight sector used in Australia and other developed countries with a discussion of the effectiveness of operator licensing schemes.	Innovative regulatory approaches adopted in Australia include accreditation-based compliance, the implementation of chain of responsibility, and enhanced compliance through improved enforcement and evidentiary provisions. The major element of regulation in most other developed countries focuses on the maintenance of extensive operator licensing.
Taylor (2000)	Conference paper	Public	Describes the principles of alternative compliance used in the development of the NHVAS and outlines the role of alternative compliance in achieving national compliance.	A national approach to alternative compliance has been achieved. Factors that may impact alternative compliance in the future include advancement in technology, chain of responsibility, and duty of care. The underlying principles of alternative compliance provide industry and government with a means for improving the management of compliance at a national level.
McIntyre (2005)	Conference paper	Public	Outlines the Australian national compliance reforms and demonstrates how these have the potential to reduce heavy vehicle fatalities through increased compliance and accountability.	The chain of responsibility is at the heart of these reforms. New compliance and enforcement legislation make the concept of chain of responsibility more effective.
Chen (2008)	Journal article	Public	A study of the impact of compliance reviews on reviewed trucking companies in reducing truck crashes.	Companies that received compliance reviews had a higher crash rate than never reviewed companies. Reviewed companies experienced a 15-39% reduction in crashes in the year following the review. The reduction in crashes was sustained for at least 7 years following the review.
Wright, Veith, & Tsolakis (2005)	Austroads report	Public	Attempts to determine the safety benefits achieved by companies due to improving the safety of their operations, and driver safety in particular. Qualitative data was obtained from 12 companies with operational safety programs.	Companies reported improved driver attitude and vehicle maintenance benefits, savings in insurance costs, and improved fleet utilisation. Other benefits included greater flexibility in the use of drivers and reduced costs due to injury. Australian trucking companies are increasingly employing programs that focus on fatigue management, driver training, and the efficient use of fleets. While some companies claim some productivity benefits associated with these programs there is a lack of rigorous evaluation to assess the true nature and extent of these benefits.
Mooren & Grzbieta (n.d.)	Report	Public	A review of the NHVAS and TruckSafe safety accreditation programs to determine the cost effectiveness of these for assuring the safety of heavy vehicles.	Alternative compliance programs such as TruckSafe and NHVAS have the potential to assure optimal safety for accredited heavy vehicle operations.

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