Major changes in HVCBA commence 27 February 2015

From 27 February 2015, all NSW heavy vehicle licence assessors will be required to record the Final Competency Assessment (FCA) component of the licensing program. The recording system features a duel channel camera that will record both inside and outside the cabin. The camera systems will also record GPS coordinates, audio (inside cabin), time and date.

This industry-wide layer of quality assurance will mitigate against corruption, fraud and conflict of interest, and facilitates mechanisms such as appeal and dispute resolution tools.

Registered Training Organisations will now have the ability to properly validate their in-vehicle assessment processes, and the collected video evidence will be a valuable tool in continuously improving service. Alltruck Driver Training fully supports the Roads and Maritime decision to introduce in cabin camera systems.

In addition to camera systems, Roads and Maritime are introducing a policy that requires that the trainer/assessor who conducts the training and assessment program be a different person from who conducts the Final Competency Assessment (FCA). Put simply, the ratio of assessor to candidate will go from 1:1 to 2:1. Having two qualified trainers/assessors available to service one client will most certainly bring upward pressure on course fees, and significantly affect flexibility in course availability. Weekend courses will now only be possible if two staff are willing or able to work on a weekend.

Alltruck Driver Training is working tirelessly to prepare for this separation policy and to adjust our business model to suit. One inevitable change will be that Warwick Farm will not be a service location for Alltruck Driver Training from late February 2015, as our one and only assessor working out of Warwick Farm will be required to relocate to Eastern Creek to join his colleagues. The only way for Alltruck Driver Training to make this new regulation work is for our assessment staff to pair up in teams of two. Michael and Paul will handle Heavy Rigid and Heavy Combination, and Andrew and Kurt will handle Medium Rigid and Heavy Rigid.

Our focus right now is developing strategy that enables us to continue our customer-focused approach to service. The challenge we face is ensuring that two staff are available to service one client at any one time.

We need to have a system that allows for two assessors daily pathways to correspond, and allow for a simple swap of assessors at the FCA time. An applicant requiring more assessment time or anyone needing to take leave for any reason, will disrupt the program for many stakeholders. If one person disrupts the system, one assessor loses work opportunity, a customer loses an assessment opportunity, customer’s employers are required to release their staff for additional time, and our administration staff are charged with the time-consuming task of tidying up the administrative mess.

We are fortunate at Alltruck Driver Training to be able to sufficiently staff our operation, with four qualified assessors and two office staff. This will greatly assist us in operating in the new system. Many competing providers may not be able to offer the flexibility that Alltruck Driver Training can, and what they charge in course fees may reflect this.