Posted by Hubfleet
Use compliance to your advantage.
Hubfleet monitors your drivers’ work hours to ensure you’re always meeting compliance obligations, while allowing you to maximise the amount of time your trucks are on the road. Integrated with both NHVR and WA fatigue management rules, it’s currently the only available app which covers you Australia-wide. Hubfleet eliminates accidental non-compliance from drivers having to manually keep track of their work hours, saving you from compliance breaches and costly penalties.
One app, all the rules.
Fatigue management rules in Australia are still fragmented and can be challenging to keep on top of if your business operates cross-country. Hubfleet is currently the only fleet management app which integrates both the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and WA’s fatigue management rules. This means you’re covered wherever your drivers cross a border in Australia.
Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) applies to all states and territories in Australia, except WA and the NT. Under HVNL, the Heavy Vehicle (Fatigue Management) National Regulations cover the maximum work hours and minimum rest periods permissible, setting allowable parameters for the below categories:
- Standard hours – solo drivers
- Standard hours – two-up drivers
- Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) hours – solo drivers
- BFM hours – two-up drivers
- Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM) hours
- Exemption hours
The regulations also cover the requirements of keeping a work diary, such as driver information, work/rest times, odometer reading, etc.
While HVNL does not apply to WA or the NT, it will if your driver crosses into the jurisdictions where it does apply. WA has its own fatigue management rules which fall within the scope of Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (1996). The permissible work, non-work and break times are prescribed by the commercial vehicle operation standard (OSH regulation 3.132) and cover:
- Solo driver hours
- Relief driver hours
OSH regulation 3.134 outlines the record-keeping requirements for those hours.
While the NT similarly does not recognise HVNL, it does recognise WA’s fatigue management system for those who cross into their territory.
Hubfleet integrates these rules into one seamless app to fulfil compliance obligations in every jurisdiction.
Consequences of breaching compliance
Above all else, maintaining compliance helps to keep your drivers safe on the road. Fatigue management rules are strictly upheld for this important reason and to discourage behaviours which compromise driver and road safety. As such, the penalties for breaching compliance can be severe. You might incur infringement notices (fines) and/or demerit points, or be prosecuted for more serious breaches.
The NHVR has the right to issue infringement notices, court-imposed penalties and demerit points. The NHVR Investigations team can undertake investigations into serious contraventions of the HVNL. They can also obtain Commercial Benefits orders against companies who profit from breaches of the HVNL. Any such profit can be recovered through this order in an amount up to three times greater than the profit received from the breach.
In WA, you can be penalised by WorkSafe for failing to comply with fatigue management regulations. WorkSafe inspectors can investigate businesses to assess their compliance with OHS regulations. Audits are conducted to determine whether drivers had the rest breaks and non-work time legally required and that records were maintained to the standard prescribed by the regulations. Breaches can be prosecuted in court and convictions can carry heavy financial penalties.
A single, simple solution.
Hubfleet provides clarity and simplification in handling compliance. Drivers simply log their hours on an easy-to-use app which monitors it in real-time against NHVR and WA compliance requirements.
Hubfleet is approved by the NHVR for use as an electronic work diary and heavy vehicle logbook. (Electronic work diaries must be approved by the NHVR.) It’s quicker and easier to fill in than standard paper diaries and records time to the nearest minute (rather than the nearest 15 minutes). Hubfleet does all the math to calculate when drivers are due for a break or able to resume work. By automatically checking the driver’s work and rest periods against the relevant ruleset, the app will then alert users when there’s a potential breach approaching. This is great for drivers, who aren’t burdened with paperwork, and great for managers, as it minimises the risk of accidental non-compliance and maximises the amount of legal driving hours.
Optimise your fleet business with a smart, simple compliance solution. Let Hubfleet take care of compliance, so you can focus on running your business.