The recent VTA State Conference at Silverwater Resort in San Remo was a resounding success, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to address the pressing issues facing our industry.
Our “Safety First: Empowering People, Boosting Productivity, Shaping Transport’s Future” theme resonated deeply with all attendees, highlighting our collective commitment to enhancing productivity and maintaining the safety of our workforce.
One of the most critical challenges discussed was the ongoing shortage of heavy vehicle drivers.
The delegate survey results underscored the severity of this issue, with 64 per cent of operations reporting a shortage of 1-7 drivers, and smaller percentages indicating even larger gaps.
This widespread shortage is a significant concern that threatens the sustainability and efficiency of our industry.
Attracting new drivers to the industry is paramount. During the conference, we explored various strategies to address this challenge. Key among these is the need for targeted recruitment and retention initiatives.
We must create an appealing career path for potential drivers, emphasising the stability, opportunities for advancement, and the critical role they play in our national economy.
Training and education also emerged as vital components in our efforts to attract and retain drivers.
By offering comprehensive training programs and support, we can equip new entrants with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Additionally, addressing the high costs associated with obtaining and maintaining heavy vehicle licences is crucial.
The VTA has been a strong advocate for reforming the heavy vehicle licensing system to be based on training rather than experience. This approach would allow new drivers to enter the industry more quickly and efficiently, without the lengthy wait times currently associated with gaining experience.
By focusing on rigorous training programs, we can ensure that new drivers are well-prepared and competent, while also addressing the urgent need for more drivers in the industry.
The conference also highlighted the importance of familiarising our workforce with the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) regulations.
While 50 per cent of respondents indicated they are somewhat familiar with these regulations, nearly 20 per cent lack awareness. This gap in knowledge can impact compliance and operational efficiency. Therefore, better education and communication regarding HVNL regulations are necessary to ensure all operators are well-informed and compliant.
Discussions also provided valuable insights into the challenges of obtaining and maintaining heavy vehicle licences.
The survey indicated that 63 per cent of respondents face high costs, 17 per cent find the process lengthy, 11 per cent lack training resources, and 9 per cent face other challenges.
Addressing these issues is essential to make the licensing process more accessible and efficient for aspiring drivers.
In addition to these discussions, the conference featured sessions on risk management and planning for the future.
Speakers shared their expertise on cybersecurity, AI integration, and the future of transport. Notably, 50 per cent of respondents feel very prepared to handle cybersecurity threats and integrate AI technologies, while 39 per cent feel somewhat prepared.
This readiness is encouraging, but the 11 per cent who feel unprepared may benefit from additional support and resources.
The conference underscored the importance of addressing the heavy vehicle driver shortages through targeted recruitment, comprehensive training, and financial support.
By familiarising our workforce with HVNL regulations and adopting sustainable practices, we can enhance compliance and reduce our environmental impact.
The insights gained from the conference will undoubtedly shape the future of our industry, ensuring that we continue to move goods efficiently across the country and keep our supply chains intact.
VTA State Conference 2025 was not just an opportunity to learn from industry experts but also a platform to connect with peers and foster a collaborative environment.
By working together, we can address the driver shortages, enhance safety, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our industry.
Our commitment to empowering people and prioritising safety will pave the way for a brighter future for the transport sector.
- Peter Anderson is the CEO of the Victorian Transport Association.
I realise that I am reiterating some of the points mentioned in this article, however it;s difficult to address my thoughts without doing so.
Like we haven’t got enough bloody problems with inexperienced, fast tracked, unprepared, clueless new drivers out here. When will the leaders in THIS industry get it through their thick heads that we have far more of a driver RETENTION problem than we have a driver SHORTAGE problem. There’s also a driver ATTRACTION problem.
ALL these conferences have CEO’s, and various executive officers, senior management placeholders, head honchos of the Police, NHVR and various industry organisations and reps from the Unions (perhaps) NONE of which (virtually) in my opinion have their lives on the line day in day out at the coal face.
Firstly, stop treating those at the coalface as cannon fodder. Start respecting their (especially current) knowledge base for what it is. Stop thinking that you know better than they, simply because you are “higher up the corporate tree” than they are and, for God’s sake stop treating the drivers like Neanderthals . Some of the very smartest people in the entire industry sit right behind the wheel and not behind a desk. VALUE their knowledge and experience. MOST of us out here know just how tight the margins are and we realise that if the company isn’t effective, efficient and, above all, profitable, NONE of us have a job, so maybe, just maybe, LISTEN TO THOSE AT THE COALFACE who are the most at risk.
In addition to paying them well (and as an industry on an across the board basis the industry fails here) you might consider visiting humanity upon them. It may surprise some of you all, but drivers aren’t just scum, verbal punching bags or stupid. Even the least intelligent drivers KNOW when they’re being had a lend of, much to your surprise, I suspect. More on this towards the end.
When (for example) an interstate driver is away from family, friends, ANY SOCIAL LIFE AT ALL for 5 to 6 days and nights a week, remuneration needs to be competitive with competing industries (mining, cold stores et al) if you want to RETAIN current drivers and attract new folks to the vocation – and it IS a vocation and not just a job.
Try ASKING and liaising with your drivers instead of DEMANDING. Start considering them as individuals. I know that industry leaders would prefer that we were merely conveyor belt operators, but that’s not in the foreseeable future (despite technological “advances”) so start to recognise they have individual personalities and do things in individual ways – after all, if something goes wrong and the brown, smelly stuff hits the fan, you EXPECT them to make (and correctly) individual solutions to whatever the issue is. You don’t get one without the other.
By and large, my exposure to the coppers and NHVR these days has been pretty positive and better than it used to be, many years ago, however consistency of attitude and application of the law would be a good thing and more emphasis, perhaps, could be given to educating drivers, say, with logbook (sorry, work diary) infringements and other interception such as minor road worthiness etc. In this modern day and age of roadside internet connections, warning or education could be done at the interception and annotated (as necessary) against their record so that anybody trying to have a “lend of the system by playing dumb” could be drafted from those genuinely …..confused. Remember, too, that you will most likely be going home to your family and the bloke you are intercepting probably WON’T be, so if he’s a bit sharp or short, there may be additional pressures upon his mindset than you are aware. De-escalate is the key should he/she be a bit stroppy and, should he/she continue to be an arse, treat them accordingly.
As a general rule, this industry does bugger all “in house” training…. and relies almost solely on the good intentions of existing drivers to ensure new starters are “brought up to speed”. I know there are exceptions in the biggest of the big, but as a general rule this is the case. Virtually every company is happy to “steal” operators from other companies and HOPE that they are suitably competent. The co$t of equipment damage that ensues as a result of this “policy” must be enormous, however it seems to be deemed LESS than employing “in house” driver trainers/assessors” … something that I find puzzling at best. It seems that this industry doesn’t institute things very well unless compelled or mandated, so, perhaps legislation compelling coal face training for more than a certain number of drivers should be mandated. I can hear the executives growling already.
We have seen in recent months and years how “successful” our current systems that are in place for attracting people into the Australian road transport industry are, with INCREASING numbers of crashes, injuries and fatalities particularly this year. I don’t have the facts and figures as I don’t have the time or energy (and am fully employed out here with my arse on the line) to research the statistics, however anecdotally it would seem there has been a significant increase this year.
There’s no doubt that some can be attributed to disgustingly poor maintenance of the road network – worse in some States than others. Governments do not manage our taxes very well and a few short years ago put all our State Government coffers perilously low, but that’s a whole other story.
With the amount of scrutiny via the likes of Saf-T-Cam and roadside interceptions, it’s hard to account for it as being due to increased time constraint pressure …. or unlikely to be, especially considering that I started out in an era when there was real, genuine and ridiculous levels of pressure and pathetically short time frames in travel and when the ACTUAL (rather than allowed) speeds were ……significantly quicker.
Without identifying any individual accidents, some of the factors that are so much better, today, than in the past is the general road network quality (not talking maintenance here). We now have so much divided road, whilst I can remember when probably less than 1% of the inter capital network was so. Even the Hume Highway back when I started was poor or NO shoulders, single lane with a few passing lanes, narrow and rickety bridges and that’s about all, so it makes one wonder how there are incidents under such conditions.
It seems to me there are little more “driver distractions” this year and in recent years to prior to that, so it’s hard to justify blaming that. My personal feeling is that it has far more to do with the lack of ensuring competency levels and “fast tracking” than almost any other factor.
Driver education of the public at large is woefully inadequate. I commend a couple of companies that have had involvement in public education campaigns, but nowhere near enough is expended upon that. I drive a road train (which is no big deal in itself) but the number of clueless general (public) motorists out there that cause me to take some sort of avoidance action is ridiculous – it happens multiple times every day where they either overtake when they shouldn’t, merge when they shouldn’t or, even, try to UNDERTAKE me in the middle of round-a-bouts, for example.
Lastly, to retain current, although ageing, drivers and to attract new potential drivers you need to find a way to pay commensurate with both the risks involved in what is a truly dangerous occupation as well as competing industries…. such as FIFO employees in the mines. The fact is you are directly competing with companies such as this for their services and more directly than most executives in this industry realise, I suspect.
Treat your drivers with respect and respect their knowledge. Granted that many drivers are opinionated, and some almost obnoxiously so, but most of them have far more current knowledge of their day to day experiences than EVERYONE in the office. Dispatch staff in particular should be aware of this and visit their attitude accordingly.
Occasionally and when warranted acknowledge excellence…. even as simply as with a “thank you”. You would be surprised how little courtesy and gratitude is passed to the driver across the board. You catch a lot more willingness with gratitude than ever you will with smart arsed comments.