Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia Year In Review

This report provides a detailed review of HVIA’s activities, achievements and benefits delivered to our valued members during the last financial year.

Advocacy

General Advocacy

• Created an industry working group with the NHVR that solved problematic PBS portal issues and addressed member concerns.
• Worked with members to understand benefits and challenges on tyre pressure monitoring system regulations.
• Proactively developed a ‘Powered Trailer’ member working group, drafted its opening discussion paper, and presented to external stakeholders.
• Provided input to Heavy Vehicle National Law Review consultation process on issues related to mass and dimension, safer freight vehicles, Euro VI emissions, and the technology and data framework.
• Advocated for improvements to ROVER reporting and other member issues – and sought funding in the Federal Budget for ROVER improvements.
• Clarified the transition requirements for the Victorian Engineers Registration Scheme.

Technical Advocacy

• Led a project to harmonise problematic aspects of ADR 38/05 with its overseas equivalent, to allow members to supply next-generation braking systems to market.
• Clarified requirements for ADR 62 with the Department of Infrastructure in an updated industry guidance note.
• Guided the finalisation of the new modification code for tipping trucks in Vehicle Standards Bulletin 6, after several rounds of detailed conversations with dozens of members.
• Advocated for rectification of long-standing regulatory issues on tag trailer mass limits, together with the National Transport Commission and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.
• Guided the NHVR on further developments to the PBS ‘Directional Stability Under Braking’ standard.
• Developed a draft industry guide on addressing pit safety concerns in heavy vehicle workshops.

Projects

• Active participant in the industry project to investigate coupling strength requirements and potential reforms to ADRs.
• Participated in a Steering Committee to establish CLOCS-A.

Formal Responses

• HVIA, in consultation with its members, submitted formal responses to the following stakeholder documents:
  • NSW Heavy Vehicle Access Policy (April 2024).
  • BITRE data – RVSA statistics (November 2023).
  • Responses to the HVNL C-RIS (various).
  • House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water inquiry on the transition to electric vehicles.
  • Renewable Diesel, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Fuel Quality Section.
  • Minimum operating standards for government-supported public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), Energy and Climate Ministerial Council.
  • Issues Paper: Targets, Pathways and Progress, Climate Change Authority.
  • Feedback to Queensland Government on the Review of the Queensland Electrical Safety Act.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Attended and actively contributed to the following key meetings and events:
  • Vehicle Standards Consultative Forums (Canberra), hosted by the Department of Infrastructure.
  • Road Vehicle Standards (RVS) roundtable discussions (various locations), hosted by the Department of Infrastructure.
  • National Road Safety Conference (Melbourne), hosted by the Office of Road Safety.
  • NTC Industry Forum (Melbourne), hosted by the National Transport Commission.
  • Freight Industry Decarbonisation Summit (Melbourne), hosted by Freight Victoria.
  • Forward-Looking Cost Base Development Industry Working Group.
  • Net Zero Roadmap Stakeholder consultation.
  • Presented at the Everything Electric! conference (Sydney).
  • Held discussions with the Department of Main Roads WA and the Department of Transport for WA on powered trailer trials.
• Held a board meeting with the Canberra Institute of Technology to advise on their plans to expand their electric vehicle training centre into heavy vehicles.
• Built strong relationships with the industry’s new Jobs and Skills Council, AUSMASA.
• Expanded relationships with relevant state departments, particularly around trials (NSW, SA) and dedicated access map (VIC, QLD) for heavier net zero vehicles.
• Direct representations to the Net Zero Unit, who have prepared the Net Zero Roadmap and Action Plan for the transport sector.
• Expanded network to include funding bodies such as the National Reconstruction Fund, Industry Growth Program, ARENA, and the CEFC.

Member Engagement

• Attended and supported the following member events:
  • Daimler Truck Australia Pacific – ‘Charging Ahead’.
  • PACCAR – Technology Drive Day.
  • Holmwood Highgate – Tanker Launch.
  • NewVolt – Launch event.
  • Hyzon – Hydrogen Fuel Cell Prime Mover Launch.
  • WHG Technologies – TechDrive Roadshow.
  • Team Global Express BEV launch day.
  • ‘A Night with Volvo’ – new model product launch.
  • Attended opening of Bruce Rock’s new CNC processing and fabrication facility.
  • Hiringa Green Hydrogen Launch.

Member Meetings

• Surveyed members on preferences for member meetings and networking events, and revised HVIA’s member meeting calendar and format to better suit member needs.
• Held in-person member forums across Australia in QLD, NSW, VIC and WA, to update HVIA members on current issues, industry priorities and opportunities.
• Through the LITE Committee, crafted positions across relevant key areas for the transition to net zero, including electric trucks and charging, hydrogen trucks and refuelling, fuel efficiency, powered trailers, incentives, data, and training and skills.

TechAssist

• HVIA utilised its contacts with regulators to assist dozens of members requiring technical and regulatory information, saving those members unnecessary hours of research and delays.

Member Services

New Members

• HVIA welcomed dozens of new HVIA Corporate Members from across Australia.
• HVIA Membership is open to manufacturers and suppliers of heavy vehicles and their components, equipment and technology.

HVIA Partners

• HVIA would like to again thank the ongoing support of our long-standing Principal Partners NTI, Wurth Australia and Caltex.
• We welcomed GEOTAB to the HVIA family as our newest Supporting Partner.

Changes To State Committee Meetings

• Feedback from a HVIA Member Survey lead to a range of changes to in-person state meetings.
• Beginning 2024, the new HVIA Member Forum will include two online meetings and a networking event called ‘HVIA Connect’.
• Member Forums update HVIA members on current and regulatory issues, industry priorities and opportunities.
• Over 200 member registrations to HVIA’s Member Forums in 2023-2024.

ROADBOSS Magazine

• The successful launch of ROADBOSS magazine receives praise from members and the broader industry.
• ROADBOSS circulation exceeds more than 12,000 people. The online platform now reaches tens of thousands through its combined newsletter, YouTube, social media and website audience.

Advisory Board

• HVIA Board implements an advisory board with the intention to improve HVIA’s offering and industry positioning.
• The Advisory Board members (to be announced shortly) boast a wealth of industry experience.

Member Communication

• Almost 4,000 industry and stakeholder recipients now receive HVIA’s weekly “Talk the Torque” e-newsletter for current news, issues and events updates,
• HVIA’s now broadcasts to almost 50,000 followers across our various channels, inclusive of our ROADBOSS, Brisbane Truck Show and HVIA platforms.

National Events

HVIA National Awards

• HVIA’s prestigious National Awards were presented in front of a full house at a Gala Dinner held in the Plaza Terrace Room at BCEC during November.
  • Product Innovation Award (sponsored by NTI) – WINNER: The Drake Group, O’Phee “London” Container Double Stack Super B Double SKEL Trailer Combination.
  • Safety Innovation Award (sponsored by Geotab) – WINNER: Base Air Global, Base Air.
  • Community Leadership Award (sponsored by NHVR) – WINNER: Scully RSV.
  • National Apprentice of the Year Award (sponsored by Wurth Australia) – WINNER: Brayden Conaghan, Penske Australia.
  • Peter Langworthy Future Leader Award – WINNER: Jason Cooper, Brown & Hurley.
• Victorian (Southern Region) members were also able to celebrate their local successes at a special HVIA Executive Club event hosted by EnergyAustralia.

HVIA Executive Club

• The HVIA Executive Club brought industry leaders together at four well-attended events in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and alongside the ATA’s Trucking Australia Conference on the Sunshine Coast.

TruckShowX

• The inaugural TruckShowX achieved its ambitious goal of delivering Australia’s largest-ever transport decarbonisation event with more than 350 industry decision makers attending the summit held on May 12-14 at RACV Cape Schanck Resort on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
• Attendees also had the unique opportunity to check out the latest in low- and zero-emissions (LZE) technologies on show at the event’s exhibition with 14 exhibitors showcasing charging, axles, firesafety, insurance, telematics and more.
• Nine OEMs displayed a variety of 18 electric, hydrogen and hybrid trucks – 12 of which were available for delegates to test drive.
• Hosting the event at a destination enabled delegates to engage in meaningful robust conversations and networking.

Brisbane Truck Show

• Planning is well underway for BTS25 to be held 15-18 May 2025.
• The show will be launched in the June/July edition of ROADBOSS.
• Offers have started to be sent out with plans for another sold out event.