Multicultural driver roundtable wants all truck drivers to meet the same licensing standards
At a roundtable of multicultural truck drivers, convened by the Australian Truck Association (ATA), the unanimous consensus was that all truck drivers in Australia must meet the same licensing standards.
ATA CEO Mathew Munro has released the report from the roundtable today, as part of ongoing industry and government discussion around truck licensing and international drivers.
He said the purpose of the roundtable was to hear directly from multicultural drivers about their lived experience with the driver training and licensing system, as well as their day to day experiences on the road.
The group was comprised of drivers from regions that included the United Kingdom, South Africa, India and South Sudan, with the largest contingent originating from the Indian subcontinent, predominantly of Punjabi Sikh descent.
“The drivers at the roundtable had a combined total of 64 years of driving experience on Australian roads. They confirmed that multicultural drivers face wellbeing and safety issues including vile abuse on UHF radio and social media harassment,” Munro said.
The drivers told the ATA that all drivers should be required to meet the same licensing standards. They said that overseas driving credentials higher than a car licence should not be recognised.
They also welcomed the concept of moving to an hours-based system for progressing from a heavy combination to a multicombination licence. At present, drivers just need to hold an HR or HC licence for a year to be eligible to be assessed for an MC licence.
“As a result of the feedback we received from the roundtable, the ATA is urging every state to adopt South Australia’s MC Licence Program,” Munro said.
“Drivers undertaking the program need to complete 50 or 60 logged hours of supervised driving with learning components, followed by a practical driving assessment in an MC vehicle.
“Additionally, South Australia no longer recognises overseas truck driving experience toward obtaining an MC licence, except for drivers from New Zealand,” he said.
Munro added that the ATA’s other initiatives from the roundtable would include creating resources to help drivers understand sham contracting arrangements and report them, and to develop an industry-wide charter to help employers and the industry as a whole stand up to racist abuse.
“While the focus of the roundtable was multicultural drivers, their insights into driver licensing and training are vital for the safety of all,” he said.
“By strengthening training and licensing pathways, we can help address the current driver shortage while also creating a fairer, more accessible industry – one where all drivers have the opportunity to enter, succeed and build long-term careers.”
The roundtable was sponsored by ATA Foundation Sponsors Volvo Trucks, bp, and NTI, as well as the ATA’s Diversity & Inclusion sponsor Teletrac Navman and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. It was facilitated by ATA Diversity Reference Group ambassador, trucking operator and 2023 Australian of the Year – Local Hero Amar Singh, along with ATA Chief of Staff Bill McKinley and Marketing and Corporate Partnerships Director Bianca D’Rosario.