In 2011, the ATA worked to deliver results for its members through:
- 70 expert speakers at its premier industry events
- 11,000 visitors through the industry’s road safety exhibition, the Road Ahead and 215 presentations
- identifying 1020 errors with the draft National Heavy Vehicle laws, and successfully pushing for the creation of a second bill to address issues with the first.
- ATA appointments to the NHVR Project Board
The full details are in the ATA’s 2011 annual report, which ATA Chairman David Simon presented to its Annual General Meeting on 30 March 2011.
Mr Simon was re-elected as ATA chairman at the meeting, and said his priorities in 2012 would be the national heavy vehicle regulator and laws, truck charges and the need for action on sleep disorders.
“The ATA has previously argued that the commercial driver medical standards should include an objective test for sleep disorders, as well as the existing Epworth sleepiness questionnaire. We argued this because we know that sleep disorders often go undetected,” Mr Simon said.
“Our advice was not taken up by the National Transport Commission – but this week, the international health journal Sleep published a report that confirmed we were right.
“The report showed that 40 per cent of Australian truck drivers are likely to have undiagnosed sleep apnoea; but only 12 per cent reported sleep problems on the questionnaire used in medicals.
“Sleep apnoea is a major problem with important safety implications. It’s one of the key issues I raised when I became the chairman of the ATA. It needs to be a priority for 2012.”
See the report for the full details.
