Trucks are the red blood cells of our nation. On every Australian road, in every city and town and in the outback, trucks deliver the staples of life.
Australia’s trucks travel 15.6 billion kilometres per year; road transport carries three-quarters of Australia’s domestic freight. There’s no doubt trucking matters.
Safety is a crucial issue for the Australian trucking industry and its professional drivers, who share their workplace with thousands of motorists every day. The number of fatal accidents involving articulated trucks has fallen dramatically since the ATA was established, but there is always more to be done.
The trucking industry is also taking action to protect the environment. All new trucks sold in Australia must comply with tough emission standards. The industry’s fuel efficiency has also improved steadily as technology has advanced. For example, the engine efficiency and fuel consumption of one leading truck model improved by 25 per cent between 1980 and 2001.
Today, road transport employs 246,000 people. There’s no place for cowboys in the industry anymore. Instead, young people who join the industry as drivers or storepersons can complete nationally recognised qualifications as a great start to their careers.
