WorkProgram

2018–2022

National Transport CommissionLevel 3/600 Bourke Street Melbourne, VIC 3000Tel: (03) 9236 5000enquiries@ntc.gov.auwww.ntc.gov.auISBN: 978-0-6480157-9-6

About the National Transport Commission

Annual ReportOur Annual Report details our performance over the past financial year. It includes our financial statements and the results achieved against the planned performance in our Corporate Plan.

Corporate PlanOur Corporate Plan sets out our directions and priorities for the medium to longer term. It sets out the strategy that we will pursue to achieve these priorities over the next four years. This plan states our purpose, including explaining the environment and context in which we operate, planned performance, capabilities, and risk oversight and management.

The NTC develops nationally consistent reforms to improve Australia’s land transport laws and regulations.

Other key NTC documents you may be interested in include the following:

2 Work Program 2018–2022

Annual ReportCorporate Plan

in include the following:

Annual ReportCorporate Plan

in include the following:

IntroductionOur Work Program sets out the program areas and projects that the National Transport Commission (NTC) will undertake over the next four years to achieve the direction and priorities in our Corporate Plan.The Transport and Infrastructure Council (the Council) is a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) committee comprised of Commonwealth, state, territory and New Zealand ministers with responsibility for transport and infrastructure issues, as well as the Australian Local Government Association.

Our Inter-Governmental Agreement requires us to prepare an annual work program and submit it to the Council each year for approval.

The Work Program has been developed with extensive consultation including:

Transport and Infrastructure Council ministers and chief executives of state, territory and Commonwealth transport, road and infrastructure departments

NTC’s Industry Advisory Group

government agencies, a wide range of industries and sectors, and the many varied users of transport products and services.

The indicative four-year Work Program builds on the 2017–2021 Work Program that was approved by the Transport and Infrastructure Council last year. The Work Program consists of projects or activities that:

have previously been approved by the Council and are unchanged

have previously been approved by the Council but the delivery has changed timing

new projects or activities.

Each of the projects undertaken by the NTC is designed to lead to reform proposals which are agreed to by ministers, implemented, then reviewed to assess their e�ectiveness.

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Research project

Policy project

Assist with implementationof non-legislative reforms

Draft law orinstrument

Law – adopted byjurisdictions

Assist withimplementation oflegislative reforms

Routine amendments to existing laws(Recurring project)

Ministerial request

Business case

Reform monitoring(Recurring projects & evaluation)

Integrated Work Program

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NTC Work Program Delivery timing (financial year)

Program areas and projects 2018–2019

2019–2020

2020–2021

2021–2022

Technology and regulatory e�ciency

Preparation for more automated vehicles

Automated vehicle exemption power review

Motor vehicle accident injury insurance review for automated vehicles

Safety assurance system for automated vehicles

Changing driver laws to support automated vehicles

Update automated vehicle trial guidelines

Update national enforcement guidelines for automated vehicles

Regulatory access to Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems and automated vehicle data

Implementing NTC actions from the review of regulatory telematics

Productivity, safety and environment

Heavy vehicle driver fatigue data

Barriers to the use of more innovative vehicles

Developing more technology-neutral road rules for driver distraction

Carbon dioxide emissions intensity for new Australian light vehicles

Heavy vehicle pricing‡

Heavy vehicle charges

Forward-looking cost base prototype

Our portfolio overviewe w de e t e o o a t o e p o a a ea

Technology and regulatory

e e y

Productivity, safety and

environment

Heavy vehicle pricing

Routine and other policy-related

amendments to laws

Strategy, monitoring and

review

4 Work Program 2018–2022

NTC Work Program Delivery timing (financial year)

Program areas and projects 2018–2019

2019–2020

2020–2021

2021–2022

Routine and other policy-related amendments to laws

Model laws

Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail

Australian Road Rules

Australian Vehicle Standards Rules

Assessing Fitness to Drive for commercial and private vehicle drivers

National Standard for Health Assessment of Rail Safety Workers

Australian Defence Force Road Transport Exemption Framework

Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles

Engine Brake Noise Standard

National laws

Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) combined amendment packages

Rail Safety National Law combined amendment packages

Small policy projects

HVNL – Regulatory responses to managing small e�uent spills and other insignificant loss of loads

HVNL – Fatigue requirements when transitioning to and from non-participating jurisdictions.

HVNL – Transitioning between solo and two-up driving

Strategy, monitoring and review

Strategic planning and work program development

Reform implementation monitoring and reporting

Strategic analysis and advice

Reviews

Three-axle bus mass limits review

Review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law*

Review of electronic work diary policy on small breaches

Post-implementation review of the seven-axle truck and dog reform

* Terms of Reference for the review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law to be agreed prior to commencement.

‡ The NTC will not undertake an annual adjustment in 2018–19 but will continue to collect road expenditure information to operate the PAYGO model, subject to ministerial decisions on Heavy Vehicle Road Reform. Council decisions relating to the forward-looking cost base, independent price regulation and Heavy Vehicle Road Reform will determine any future NTC work in heavy vehicle charging.

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Technology and e ato y e e y

This program area is focused on improving a ety e ato y e e y

and enabling next generation mobility.

Preparation for more automated vehiclesWe are working in collaboration with Austroads, regulators, industry associations, business and the community to address the emergence of more automated road vehicles. In 2016 transport ministers approved projects to help prepare Australia for automated vehicles in road transport. The aim of this work is for Australia to be ready for the safe commercial (mass market) deployment of automated road vehicles.

The following projects are part of this automated vehicle program of work:

Automated vehicle exemption powers reviewThis project supports jurisdictions to review current exemption powers to ensure legislation can facilitate on-road trials.

Motor vehicle accident injury insurance review for automated vehiclesThis project supports jurisdictions to review injury insurance schemes to identify any necessary reforms to support automated vehicles.

Safety assurance system for automated vehiclesThis project will design and develop a safety assurance system for automated road vehicles to support safe, large-scale commercial deployment of vehicles at all levels of automation.

Changing driver laws to support automated vehiclesThis project will develop legislative reform options to clarify the application of current driver and driving laws to automated vehicles, and to establish legal obligations for automated driving system entities.

Update automated vehicle trial guidelinesThis project will review the national guidelines governing conditions for trials of automated vehicles to ensure they remain fit for purpose. These guidelines support trials at all levels of automation, ensure nationally consistent trial conditions, and support cross-border trials. This is a joint project with Austroads.

Update national enforcement guidelines for automated vehiclesThis project will review the national enforcement guidelines that clarify regulatory concepts of control and proper control for di�erent levels of driving automation and support consistent application of the law across jurisdictions.

Regulatory access to Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems and automated vehicle dataThis project will develop options to manage government access to automated vehicle data that balances road safety and network e£ciency outcomes and e£cient enforcement of tra£c laws with su£cient privacy protections for connected and automated vehicle users.

Implementing NTC actions from the review of regulatory telematicsThis project will implement NTC actions from the review of regulatory telematics to help Australia gain the safety and productivity benefits of this technology.

6 Work Program 2018–2022

Productivity, safety and environment

This program area is focused on improving safety, productivity and environmental outcomes.

Heavy vehicle driver fatigue dataHeavy vehicle driver fatigue data will be used to evaluate the on-road fatigue impact of current fatigue laws. Using scientific research, the NTC will evaluate the impact of current fatigue laws on heavy vehicle driver fatigue. The project is a joint research initiative led by the Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity (Alertness CRC), in collaboration with NTC, the Commonwealth and other key jurisdictional and industry partners.

Barriers to the use of more innovative vehiclesThis project will explore options for developing a more performance-based framework for vehicle classification, and the appropriate requirements and licensing or registration obligations that might apply to various categories of vehicle types not covered by current vehicle standards. The project will align with the safety assurance framework being developed as part of the automated vehicle project, and will build on work already undertaken by Austroads.

Developing more technology-neutral road rules for driver distractionThis project will explore opportunities to reform the current road rules and make them more technology-neutral while managing safety outcomes. This includes addressing current technology-specific provisions with the intent to align requirements for devices that have similar functionality, and remove barriers to the increased use of innovative drivers’ aids and safety technology.

Carbon dioxide emissions intensity for new Australian light vehiclesWe report on the carbon dioxide emissions intensity of new cars and light commercial vehicle sales to provide a transparent benchmark for consumers and governments about how Australia’s new car emissions performance is tracking.

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Heavy vehicle pricing

This program area is focused on improving productivity a d e ato y e e y

Heavy vehicle charges The NTC is responsible for performing an annual adjustment to the heavy vehicle charges. The NTC will not undertake an annual adjustment in 2018–2019 as the Transport and Infrastructure Council resolved in November 2017 to freeze heavy vehicle changes for two years. However, we will continue to collect road expenditure information to operate the PAYGO model until an alternative road charging process is implemented.

Forward-looking cost base prototypeThe Land Transport Market Reform work is led by the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities and now incorporates the Heavy Vehicle Road Reform work. The aim of heavy vehicle road reform is to turn the provision of heavy vehicle road infrastructure into an economic service where feasible.

The NTC is providing technical support by further developing the forward-looking cost base prototype that uses the current asset values and future operating costs to establish a forward-looking revenue requirement (or cost base). In 2018–2019 we will work with state and territory governments and the Commonwealth government to develop and fine-tune the prototype.

8 Work Program 2018–2022

Routine and other policy-related amendments to laws

This program area is focused on improving safety, productivity and e ato y e e y

Under our Inter-Governmental Agreement, the NTC has responsibility for the monitoring and maintenance of national laws, model laws and administrative guidelines to ensure they remain contemporary and consistent with their policy intent.

In 2017, the NTC transferred responsibility for proposing minor non-controversial changes to the national laws to the two national regulators: the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and the O£ce of the National Rail Safety Regulator.

Amendments to model laws Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail

Australian Road Rules

Australian Light Vehicles Standards Rules

Assessing Fitness to Drive

National Standard for Health Assessment of Rail Safety Workers

Australian Defence Force Road Transport Exemption Framework

Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles

Engine brake noise standard.

Amendments to national laws

Heavy Vehicle National Law

Rail Safety National Law.

Small policy projectsWe will undertake the following minor policy work to support our routine and other policy-related amendments to national laws:

Regulatory responses to managing small e�uent spills and other insignificant loss of loads to ensure the penalties reflect the risks to road users

Addressing anomalies in, or small changes to, the HVNL that allow:

unintended consequences of accounting for driving hours in states and territories where the HVNL applies and those where it does not

transitioning between solo and two-up driving.

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Strategy, monitoring and review

This program area is focused on improving safety, productivity, environmental outcomes and regulatory e e y

Strategic planning and work program development The NTC will prepare business cases and terms of reference for reviews for Transport and Infrastructure Senior O£cials’ Committee and the Council on proposed future reform work to form part of the NTC Work Program.

Reform implementation monitoring and reporting We produce the National Transport Reform Implementation Monitoring Report in November each year. The report provides the Council with an independent assessment of the implementation progress of national transport reforms and projects by state and territory, and advice on where delays have occurred, and on any corrective actions or interventions required to bring implementation back on track. The advice includes analysis of derogations from the national transport reforms.

Strategic analysis and adviceThe NTC is responding to ministerial priorities through improved strategic analysis and advice.

This includes working with government and industry stakeholders to develop insights on market, consumer and technology changes which have the potential to a�ect the current regulatory arrangements for land transport in Australia.

We will continue to provide short issues papers to ministers examining specific topics about regulatory or other barriers to next-generation mobility, or any other specific area for analysis and advice that ministers/governments request.

ReviewsThree-axle bus mass limits reviewThis project will gather the necessary data to confirm whether there is a need to increase the mass limits that apply to three-axle buses. This is to accommodate the current number of passengers that three-axle buses may carry and assess the potential implications of an increase in three-axle bus mass limits.

Review of the Heavy Vehicle National LawWe will develop and consult on terms of reference for a review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law. This review is initially proposed to consider the structure and form of the law and regulations. The review will also consider the e�ectiveness of the Heavy Vehicle National Law framework, including the Chain of Responsibility and Executive O£cer Liability reforms, and more closely aligning the Heavy Vehicle National Law with workplace health and safety laws.

Review of electronic work diary policy on small breachesThe NTC will undertake a review of the policy on small breaches for electronic work diaries. This review will incorporate insights from the current heavy vehicle driver fatigue data research project where relevant. This review is scheduled for commencement in 2020–2021.

Post-implementation review of the seven-axle truck and dog reformThe NTC will undertake a review of the seven-axle truck and dog reforms that were approved by the Council in 2015. This review is scheduled for commencement in 2020–2021 and will be conducted with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

10 Work Program 2018–2022

Supporting other national workIn addition to delivering the NTC Work Program, we are involved with national work that is led by others. Some of the key activities that the NTC will continue to support include:

Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems

the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator including the review of the Performance-Based Standards scheme

the O£ce of the National Rail Safety Regulator activities

Austroads taskforces and projects including the Safety Taskforce, and a role in the National Road Safety Strategy

Project managing, on behalf of Austroads, the update of the National Guidelines for Provision of Rest Area Facilities

Remote Areas Consultative Group

National Transport Technology Policy Framework and Action Plan

National Rail Vision and Work Program

the Australasian Railway Association’s Smart Rail Industry Steering Committee.

www.ntc.gov.au 11

WorkProgram

2018–2022

National Transport CommissionLevel 3/600 Bourke Street Melbourne, VIC 3000Tel: (03) 9236 5000enquiries@ntc.gov.auwww.ntc.gov.auISBN: 978-0-6480157-9-6