Teletrac Navman today announced the launch of Electronic Work Diaries (EWD). Approved in November 2020 by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) for use from December 1 2020, EWDs will provide the industry with an alternative to written work diaries and are expected to deliver improved regulatory compliance and better safety outcomes while reducing red tape for both the drivers and operators and providing insightful real-time data.
As a long-time advocate of EWDs as a regulatory alternative to the cumbersome written versions, Toll Group is one of the first companies in Australia to use the Teletrac Navman technology starting with a five-driver pilot program – launching today – which will quickly expand to include 150 drivers by March 2021.
Richard Turner, Global Head of Health, Safety and Environment at Toll Group, says “The arrival of EWDs is a very exciting moment for the industry and our organisation, and we’re thrilled to be one of the first putting rubber to road. As an organisation, we are safety obsessed and this switch is another example of our ongoing focus on improving safety for our people and communities by investing in meaningful innovation.”
Andrew Rossington, Chief Product Officer at Teletrac Navman, says “We are proud to be one of the first telematics provider to be granted full approval from the regulator to roll out our Electronic Work Diary as an alternative to written work diaries. The solution will empower drivers and fleet operators to manage their own compliance, giving managers peace of mind that their drivers are safe. The benefits are there for everyone, better supply chain efficiencies, simple planning tools for drivers and transport operators and better road safety outcomes.”
NHVR’s Joe Tarzia, Senior Safety and Compliance Officer, says “From today, drivers can record their work and rest hours by pressing a button, rather than spending time ruling lines and counting multiple time periods on multiple pieces of paper. EWDs will enable drivers to spend more time focusing on managing their fatigue, rather than managing the book – which is an important step forward in delivering improved fatigue safety outcomes. However, it’s important that drivers ensure they are using an approved EWD, have been issued a unique identification number for EWDs and continue to carry their Written Work Diary for the transition period of at least 28 days.”