Welcome to our monthly Austroads RoadWatch: Roundup for May
RoadWatch: Roundup
May 2024
Welcome to our monthly Austroads RoadWatch: Roundup for May. Discover our latest news, published reports, Guide updates, webinars and events.
New report details findings of survey of medical practices and practitioners
Austroads has released new research aimed at enhancing the quality and consistency of health assessments for commercial vehicle drivers regarding fitness for duty and licensing. This effort is detailed in a newly published report based on surveys conducted by Austroads among medical practitioners and practices.
The survey’s results provide valuable insights into the educational and resource needs of medical practitioners, as well as attitudes towards the recognition and certification of practices and practitioners.
“The survey helped us to understand the challenges and opportunities in work health assessments,” said An Rendell, Project Manager of Austroads’ Assessing Fitness to Drive. “The findings underscore the need for increased focus on issues like driver awareness and clearer standards.”
“We surveyed over 500 individuals,” An noted. “This included more than 150 TruckSafe medical practitioners and 350 members of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine over a two-month period.”
The survey’s findings noted a complex interplay of factors, encompassing challenges faced by drivers and systemic issues that require attention, alongside efforts to educate health professionals.
The report outlines steps needed to improve practice, including the development of a new and comprehensive strategy and targeted education as well as effective communication tools for practitioners.
“This project will strengthen the standards and procedures surrounding commercial vehicle driver health assessments,” said An. “It will contribute to making the industry and broader community much safer on our roads.”
Read more | Download Assessing Fitness to Drive Implementation – Survey of Medical Practitioners Conducting Fitness for Duty Assessments
Neil Scales honoured with Austroads Medal for transformational leadership
Neil Scales is the 12th recipient of the Austroads Medal in its more than 30-year history. Neil has worked with Austroads over the past 10 years as Chair, Deputy Chair, long-standing Board member and Australia’s First Delegate to PIARC (World Road Association). The medal is awarded to people who have made an exceptionally meritorious contribution to the achievement of Austroads’ objectives over a sustained period.
During his time as Chair, Neil has overseen a number of crucial Austroads projects, including the delivery of a harmonised approach to temporary traffic control at road worksites across Australia, the ambitious project to establish a harmonised road asset data standard for use in Australia and New Zealand, the establishment of the Austroads Connected and Automated Vehicles Program (now known as the Vehicles and Technology Program), and the Environment and Sustainability Program.
Geoff Allan, Austroads Chief Executive, said Neil’s involvement in Austroads’ projects and initiatives has been transformational, shaping the organisation's trajectory and significantly contributing to its success.
“Neil's impact on Austroads is truly commendable. His leadership has been inspirational for countless professionals and has shaped the transport industry in Australia and beyond. We are honoured to recognise his exceptional achievements with the Austroads Medal.”
Austroads and AfPA update bituminous binder sampling practice guidelines
Austroads and the Australian Flexible Pavement Association (AfPA) have released an updated Work Tip designed to improve bituminous binder sampling practices within the construction industry.
The resource, developed in collaboration with industry experts, aims to ensure the accurate and representative sampling of bituminous binders, essential for meeting the specifications and quality standards in road construction projects.
The Work Tips collection is produced by Austroads and AfPA. It contains over 50 easy-to-digest publications with information on various aspects of pavement construction.
Austroads CEO Geoff Allan discusses building a sustainable, safe, and resilient transport network for the future on IPWEA's Infrastructure Matters podcast
Austroads' Chief Executive, Dr Geoff Allan, joined the latest episode of IPWEA's Infrastructure Matters podcast to discuss the pressing challenges and innovative approaches being used in road infrastructure across Australia and New Zealand.
Tune in to hear Geoff's insights on the future of electric vehicle infrastructure, advancements in road safety technologies, the impact of climate change on road resilience, integrating sustainable materials like recycled plastics and rubber, and the challenges in maintaining extensive road networks.
The time to transition to 4G is almost up. Are you ready?
The closure of 3G networks in Australia is approaching its deadline. Telstra will now shut down its 3G network on 31 August 2024. Optus will switch it off from 1 September 2024.
Transport Certification Australia (TCA) encourages the transport sector to act fast to retire any remaining 3G telematics before these deadlines.
Gavin Hill, General Manager Strategic Engagement and Performance, encouraged transport operators who rely on telematics devices for access or productivity benefits to ensure they have plans to upgrade any 3G devices which are still being used in vehicles.
“Transport operators who rely on telematics devices for the Road Infrastructure Management (RIM) application, the Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA) or the Intelligent Access Program (IAP) need to ensure their telematics devices have been upgraded to remain legally compliant with road access notices or permits."
“Although Telstra has extended the 3G closure by 8 weeks (from 30 June to 31 August), there is still limited time available to manage the transition.”
TCA’s registered and certified service providers are the first point of contact for transport operators who wish to check if their vehicles are affected by the 3G closure.
A list of 4G compliant telematics devices which have been type-approved by TCA is available here. Don't delay. Commit to a rollout schedule with your provider to ensure you remain compliant after the 3G shutdown.
Congratulations to Madeleine McManus OAM on receiving 2024 John Shaw Medal
The John Shaw Medal honours an industry champion who has made a lasting contribution to Australia’s roads. This year the award was presented to Madeleine McManus OAM, Chief Executive Officer at the Centre for Professional Engineering Education and Centre for Pavement Engineering Education (CPEE).
Madeleine has been recognised for her outstanding and innovative leadership and continuing contribution to the transport sector.
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Madeleine on this monumental achievement and a well-deserved success,” said Geoff Allan, Austroads Chief Executive.
Madeleine is the third woman to win the award, which has also been awarded to the Austroads Chair Louise McCormick.
“We are inspired by Madeleine’s passion and drive that leave a lasting impact on the industry and the community.”
There is no charge for our webinars, but registration is essential. If you can’t make the live session, register and we will send you a link to the recording.
Austroads Project Pipeline 2024-25 | Register
Wednesday, 19 June 2024, 1 pm AEST
Are you looking for an opportunity to work with Austroads to help Australian and New Zealand transport agencies deliver efficient, reliable, and safe mobility to their customers? This webinar will introduce new projects lined up for the 2024-25 financial year. The session will be most beneficial to consultants who may be interested in tendering for Austroads projects. Participants will hear about Austroads tendering process and meet Austroads program managers. The webinar will be moderated by Paul Davies, Austroads General Manager Programs.
Local Government Readiness for Connected and Automated Vehicles | Register
Friday, 21 June 2024, 1 pm AEST
Join us for a webinar aimed at helping local governments (LGs) across Australia and New Zealand to navigate the evolving landscape of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs). As managers of a large portion of the road network, LGs play a pivotal role in shaping the future of transport. This webinar will provide an overview of an Austroads project that developed guidance to enhance LGs’ preparedness for CAV integration. The webinar will explore ten critical areas essential for LGs seeking to prepare effectively, spanning legal considerations and infrastructure readiness as well as financial impacts and stakeholder engagement. The session will also outline the proposed actions to support current and near-term vehicles with human operators and longer-term, fully automated vehicles.
Austroads Coober Pedy Sprayed Seal Trial – 11-Year Inspection Findings | Register
Tuesday, 25 June 2024, 1 pm AEST
An Austroads sprayed seal trial site was established in Coober Pedy in South Australia during 2011 to evaluate the relative performance of seals constructed with different grades of binders from their placement through to long‑term service. The site was constructed to predominantly compare the performance of different Austroads Technical Specification ATS 3110 polymer modified binder (PMB) grades when they were used in strain alleviating membrane (SAM) applications. The webinar will describe the findings obtained from an inspection of the trial site conducted 11 years after construction. The inspection included detailed visual assessments of the condition of each trial section by an expert team. Seal samples were also obtained from the trial sections so that binders could be extracted for rheological and chemical analysis tests. The test results obtained for the extracted binder samples have been used to gain insights into how the properties of the trial binders have changed over time.
Updating Austroads Guide to Road Safety Parts 2 and 7 | Register
Wednesday, 3 July 2024, 1 pm AEST
The Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 2: Safe Roads (AGRS Part 2) and Guide to Road Safety Part 7: Road Safety Strategy and Management (AGRS Part 7) have recently been updated. This webinar will outline the key changes to AGRS Part 2 and AGRS Part 7. The content will include examples from both guides that demonstrate how the updated guidance would be practically interpreted by practitioners to deliver treatment outcomes that are more aligned with the Safe System approach.
How to
Design Cities for Women and Girls | Register
Tuesday, 9 July 2024, 1 pm AEST
Safety is often the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about transport and city planning from a gender perspective, but feeling safe should be the baseline, not the benchmark when it comes to inclusive cities. From Barcelona’s Superblocks to women’s cycling rates in Copenhagen, through to building women’s autonomy into the business case, this webinar’s presenter Estelle Grech will share key insights from her Churchill Fellowship where she travelled to 14 cities around the globe to research how to design cities for women in girls.
Gender Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines | Register
Thursday, 11 July 2024, 1 pm AEST
Cities throughout the world are recognising many public spaces are not welcoming or inclusive, particularly for women, girls, gender diverse groups and vulnerable people. This webinar will focus on Canberra's first Gender Sensitive Urban Design Guidelines. The guidelines will help planners, engineers, architects, landscape designers and developers create urban spaces that reflect the needs, interests, and routines of the city’s diverse community, enriching people’s daily lives. Developed following over two years of community and stakeholder engagement, the guidelines will aid with the design and delivery of public urban spaces as well as transport and infrastructure projects, including wayfinding. The guidelines will deliver practical outcomes to the daily lives of women, girls, gender diverse and vulnerable people in Canberra improving their safety, access, mobility, health, and enjoyment in public spaces.
Increasing Active Transport Mode Share | Register
Monday, 22 July 2024, 1 pm AEST
This webinar is part of a three-webinar series to present the outcomes of the Austroads project “Prioritising Active Transport”. A wide range of Australian government agencies have a goal to increase the mode share for walking and cycling. Yet much of the data shows that active transport levels have stagnated over the last 15 years. This webinar presents data on Australian and overseas best-practice measures that can be implemented to grow the contribution of walking and cycling to transport systems across Australasia. Participants will learn about the different categories of interventions that can be used to increase active transport mode share. They will also learn how a prioritisation framework can be used to select interventions that are the most impactful in boosting walking and cycling mode share, while also considering the cost and complexity of different interventions.
Infrastructure Interventions to Increase Active Transport – Most Effective Approaches | Register
Tuesday, 23 July 2024, 1 pm AEST
This is the second session in a three-part webinar series to present the outcomes of the Austroads project “Prioritising Active Transport”. This webinar builds on the first webinar by focusing on the types of infrastructure interventions that can be used to increase active transport mode share. Participants will gain an understanding of the effectiveness of these interventions and their suitability, depending on the geographical context (e.g. inner city, suburban, regional).
Policy and Other Non-Infrastructure Measures to Increase Active Transport Mode Share | Register
Wednesday, 24 July 2024, 1 pm AEST
This is the final webinar in the three-part webinar series to present the outcomes of the Austroads project “Prioritising Active Transport”. The session will focus on various policies and other non-infrastructure interventions that can be used to increase levels of active travel. These interventions include measures such as speed reduction, policies to integrate public transport with walking and cycling, pricing measures for motor vehicle use and parking and shared micromobility programs. The participants will learn how policy and other non-infrastructure interventions perform in terms of their impact on growing active transport mode share, in comparison to the cost and complexity of implementing these initiatives.
Recent webinar recordings
Austroads tenders and project opportunities
Expressions of Interest to Contribute to Project SAG6371 Keeping People Safe When Walking – Stream 2: Better Guidance, Closing 10am AEST, Tuesday 28 May 2024.
SAG6410 Evaluation of Hazard Perception Tests and Development of Guidance. Closing 4pm AEST, Friday 7 June 2024.
NEG6442 Updating Guidance on Parking Management Techniques, Closing 4pm AEST, Tuesday 11 June 2024.
Current vacancies
Austroads and Transport Certification Australia (TCA) employ staff across a range of specialised and technical disciplines. We pay attention to maintaining a safe and welcoming work environment, where all staff have equal access to opportunities. We encourage our staff to participate in external and internal training to make sure their skills and knowledge are continuously improved. We take inclusion and diversity seriously. We embrace difference and diversity of identity, experience and thought, and actively strive for inclusive behaviours across our company and our work.
We currently have open positions for:
Senior Communications Officer – Stakeholder Engagement and Media
Project Coordinator – National Heavy Vehicle Driver Competency Framework
BITRE research
BITRE's monthly bulletin contains current counts and summaries of road crash deaths and fatal road crashes in Australia. Data are sourced from the road traffic or police authorities in each jurisdiction.
You can also view monthly updated road safety statistics and an Australian Road Deaths Database.
Upcoming industry events
19th ITS Asia Pacific Forum, Jakarta, 28 - 30 May 2024
Transport Women Australia Ltd - Living the Dream Conference, Essendon Fields, 30 May - 1 June 2024
14th Annual Victorian Transport & Infrastructure Conference, Melbourne, 5 - 6 June 2024
T-Tech, Auckland, New Zealand, 25 - 26 June 2024
