With two Electronic Work Diaries (EWD) now approved for use, Toll Group has become among the first companies in Australia to implement the Teletrac Navman technology, through a five-driver pilot program.
The pilot was launched on 1 December, to coincide with the first day of the EWDs’ approved use. Though it will start with just five drivers, this will quickly expand to include 150 drivers by March 2021.
Toll Group is a long-time advocate of EWDs as a regulatory alternative to the written work diary.
Global Head of Health, Safety and Environment at Toll Group, Richard Turner said, “The arrival of EWDs is a very exciting moment for the industry and our organisation, and we’re thrilled to be one of the first putting rubber to road. As an organisation, we are safety obsessed and this switch is another example of our ongoing focus on improving safety for our people and communities by investing in meaningful innovation.”
Andrew Rossington, Chief Product Officer at Teletrac Navman, added, “We are proud to be one of the first telematics providers to be granted full approval from the regulator to roll out our Electronic Work Diary as an alternative to written work diaries. The solution will empower drivers and fleet operators to manage their own compliance, giving managers peace of mind that their drivers are safe. The benefits are there for everyone, better supply chain efficiencies, simple planning tools for drivers and transport operators and better road safety outcomes.”
Senior Safety and Compliance Officer at NHVR, Joe Tarzia, also commented, “Drivers can record their work and rest hours by pressing a button, rather than spending time ruling lines and counting multiple time periods on multiple pieces of paper. EWDs will enable drivers to spend more time focusing on managing their fatigue, rather than managing the book – which is an important step forward in delivering improved fatigue safety outcomes. However, it’s important that drivers ensure they are using an approved EWD, have been issued a unique identification number for EWDs and continue to carry their Written Work Diary for the transition period of at least 28 days.”