ATA Friday Facts: Electric Taxes and EWD’s

News

13 Nov

Written By The ATA

SA GOVERNMENT SHOWS LEADERSHIP ON SUSTAINABLE AND FAIR ROAD FUNDING

The Australian Trucking Association has welcomed the South Australian Government’s planned introduction of a road user charge for electric vehicles, set to commence from 1 July 2021.
Responding to the announcement, the ATA highlighted the need for an increased uptake of electric vehicles and has called for continued incentives from governments.

“Governments should accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles and make hydrogen trucks a commercial reality,” Acting CEO of the ATA Bill McKinley said today.

Mr McKinley said that while fuel duty was in structural decline, revenue was not keeping pace with increases in vehicle kilometres travelled. “Road charges used to bring in more revenue than what was spent on roads. Without reform, the structural decline in fuel duty will mean roads need to be subsidised from other revenue, which would impact funds allocated for other priorities such as schools and hospitals.

“The burden of paying for roads would be forced onto the general public, even if they don’t use roads, as well as those who currently don’t have the ability to use an electric vehicle, especially in rural areas.”

Mr McKinley said the existing system was not fair. “Opponents of an electric vehicle road user charge need to explain what other taxes should be increased or what services will be cut in order to sustainable and fairly fund safe roads into the future.”

He said road user charging was not about reducing electric vehicle uptake. “Research shows us the main disincentive to electric vehicle uptake is the upfront price. Governments should work to reduce these barriers. Even with a road user charge, electric vehicle costs over an average ownership period are likely to be lower than that of petrol and diesel vehicles.”

The ATA has also called on governments to ensure road user charges for electric heavy vehicles are calculated fairly and transparently.

“The South Australian electric vehicle road user charge should include heavy vehicles and be set within the existing national system for setting heavy vehicle charges. “Electric trucks are a reality, and the South Australian road user charge must be set in a way which is nationally compatible and does not impose red tape on interstate operators.”

ATA BACKS PROPOSED NSW ELECTRIC VEHICLE TAX

Following the announcement of a similar scheme by South Australia earlier this week, the ATA has also welcomed the NSW Government’s support of electric vehicle road user charges. NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has pledged to support a road user charge for electric vehicles and is expected to introduce a user-charge policy to cabinet within the next year.

ELECTRONIC WORK DIARY APPROVAL A BIG WIN FOR INDUSTRY

The rollout of approved Electronic Work Diaries will reduce red tape and improve safety for transport operators, ATA Chair David Smith said this week, after the NHVR launched the rollout of approved Electronic Work Diaries (EWD) for heavy vehicle drivers to manage their fatigue.

Step Global’s Smart eDriver and Teletrac Navman’s Sentinel systems have been listed by the NHVR as approved EWD solutions, following collaboration with the ATA and its members, technology providers, transport operators, and transport and police authorities.

“Today’s announcement is a big step forward for our industry. It will reduce paperwork for our drivers and the unbelievable amount of record keeping that companies need to do to stay compliant,” Mr Smith said.

From December 1, transport operators will be able to voluntarily use the approved EWD systems as a regulatory alternative to a paper logbook, the National Driver Work Diary.

Step Global and Teletrac Navman are both members of the ATA’s Industry Technical Council. The ITC’s role is to enhance the trucking industry’s safety, professionalism and viability by providing technical input and best practice advice to the ATA.

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