The Australian Government should NOW endorse Safe Rates in the Transport Industry

The National Transport Commission has today handed down its report recommending the establishment of a national system of safe rates for employees and owner drivers in the heavy vehicle industry.

The NTC were commissioned by Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for Small Business Craig Emerson to review a safe rate system in the industry due to the soaring loss of life from heavy vehicle accidents on Australian roads.

TWU Branch Secretary Hughie Williams said, "To date there has been 66 heavy vehicle fatalities on QLD roads and fatigue is a major contibutor."

"Truck drivers are driving longer hours on our roads just to make ends meet."

Mr Williams said, "To make our roads safe we need truck drivers to be paid a decent rate of pay, a rate above the cost of living."

The TWU will be strongly lobbying the Federal Government to endorse the NTC's recommendations and quickly set up a national system of safe rates for owner drivers to help put an end to our alarming road toll.