"The Australian Government’s new JobKeeper payments will support trucking businesses – including up to 28,900 owner drivers – that experience substantial falls in turnover" Australian Trucking Association Chair Geoff Crouch said today.

The Australian Trucking Association and its member associations collectively represent the businesses and people of the Australian trucking industry. Together, the ATA and its members are committed to safety, professionalism and viability. 

“Trucking businesses in the grocery, fuel and home delivery sectors are working flat out, but others face months of reduced work or, in some cases, financial devastation,” Mr Crouch said. 

“JobKeeper payments will be a lifeline for many businesses in our industry and their employees. 

“It will be a lifeline for hard pressed owner drivers who face months of little work, because the companies they support have closed down. 

“In our discussions with the Government, the ATA argued strongly that owner drivers needed to be supported. 

“We thank the Government for taking action and providing this support. 

“We also thank the Government for developing an Australian program tailored to the way we do things in Australia, and not just copying overseas programs,” he said. 

Read more about the JobKeeper payment here

• QLD closed their borders as of 12:01am Thursday 26th March 2020
• A person who arrives in Queensland from another State or Territory of Australia must self-quarantine for a period of 14 days, unless they are an exempt person.

Who is exempt from the requirement to enter quarantine for 14 days?

• National or State Security Officer or Government employee
• Health Services worker
• Emergency Services worker
• Transport, freight and logistics worker
• Specialist skills worker
• People living and working close to a border
• Compassionate entry or compulsion of law

Who is a Transport, freight or logistics worker?

• Any person who in performing their duties is responsible for provision of services for local passenger transport including bus services, taxi and ride share services, transport or freight of goods, or logistics for the goods, into, within and out of Queensland, on the condition that the person must practise social distancing wherever possible, including maintaining a distance of at least 1.5 metres where reasonably practicable and remain self-quarantined in their vehicle or accommodation.
• Ship crew travelling from another State or Territory, for the limited period of delivery of persons, transport or freight of goods, or logistics for them, into, within and out of Queensland, on the condition that the person must practise social distancing wherever possible, including maintaining a distance of at least 1.5 metres where reasonably practicable and must remain on board ship in self-quarantine until the ship departs Queensland or via a flight, where the self-quarantine period is less than 14 days.
• A member of a domestic, commercial or charter flight crew who self-quarantine until departing Queensland on another flight.

We encourage all our Providers who will be transporting freight into Queensland to apply for the border pass in order to speed up processing at the border.

Here are some short points about the assistance available to trucking businesses as a result of the economic stimulus announced in response to the Coronavirus.

• Small and medium sized trucking businesses that employ staff will be eligible for a cashflow boost of up to $100,000 with a minimum payment of $20,000. Businesses with an aggregated turnover of less than $50 million will be eligible.
• Eligible truck owner drivers will be able to apply for an expanded JobSeeker Payment with a new coronavirus supplement.
• Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme: a government guarantee for small and medium business loans.
• Increasing the instant asset write-off threshold from $30,000 to $150,000 and expanding access to include businesses with aggregated annual turnover of less than $500 million (up from $50 million) until 30 June 2020

You can read the full list of government measures here, as well as statement from the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) in response to the economic package here.

In a stunt that must be seen to be believed Volvo launched 4 new models, stacking them one on top of the other and placing the company president Roger Alm on top of the tower.

The cinematic launch video showcases the new Volvo FH, FH16, FM and FMX models. The truck tower is real and required significant planning, evidenced in this behind the scenes video.

Over 10,000 jobs and millions of dollars of contracts will be up for grabs, as part of the $15.8 billion project that will carry up to 135,000 vehicles daily, slash travel times by up to 35 minutes and deliver the missing link in Melbourne’s freeway network.

With builders getting ready to start early works for North East Link soon, there are opportunities for jobs now and for small and medium-sized businesses to get on board. Local businesses are encouraged to apply as the consortium chosen to design and build the project will be required to demonstrate how they will create local jobs and training opportunities.

Plumbers, electricians, building trades, roof services, landscapers, form workers, carpenters, bricklayers and concreters are just some of the businesses being encouraged to register their interest.

Other opportunities will be for traffic management services, training providers, safety gear suppliers, air-conditioning and heating services, surveying and mapping services, engineering design and consulting, architects, office administration and mechanics.

Manufacturing industries and producers of cement and lime, ready mixed concrete, asphalt, electric cables and switches, are also being sought as well as businesses who hire out construction-related machinery and equipment.

As the transport and construction industries are inextricably linked, there will no doubt be opportunities for small to medium transport businesses as well.

You can register your interest here: gateway.icn.org.au/project/4055/north-east-link

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has put forward to the Australian Government a range of bushfire recovery measures aimed at assisting bushfire affected trucking businesses.

Developed by the ATA General Council and presented to the Deputy Prime Minister in a teleconference yesterday, the plan sets out the immediate, medium, and long-term assistance needed by Australian trucking businesses affected by the bushfire crisis.

“The impact these fires have had on trucking businesses and their employees is unprecedented. Some have lost their homes, workplaces or equipment. Others have been dealing with prolonged time away from their families, suffering financial loss and personal hardship as a result of road closures and lengthy delays," ATA Chair Geoff Crouch said.

“First and foremost, we have recommended the Disaster Recovery Allowance be made available as a wage subsidy to employers who can demonstrate loss or hardship as a result of the bushfires and that the allowance or any wage subsidy be extended from 13 to 26 weeks."

“We also believe that the Western Australian Shires of Dundas and Coolgardie should be disaster declared, so owner drivers held up by the closure of the Eyre and Coolgardie-Esperance highways can access the assistance,” he said. 

The ATA also proposes that the instant asset write off be extended to enable businesses to secure cashflow advantages. 

“We believe the Government should increase the asset write off to $50,000 for one year only, with the higher write off to come to an end on 1 July 2021. At present, the write off is scheduled to fall from $30,000 to $1000 on 1 July 2020,” Mr Crouch said. 

Mr Crouch said the ATA had called for the postponement of planned increases to truck taxes, which would see businesses pay an extra $132.8 million in 2020-21 compared to 2019-20. 

“Given the cashflow implications of increasing the road user and registration charges, any increases in the road user and registration charges should occur from 1 July 2021 rather than 1 July 2020,” Mr Crouch said. 

“With the industry already struggling as a result of the bushfires, the introduction of this increase in 2020 would only add to their burden,” he said. 

Mr Crouch said for the longer term, the ATA had proposed extending the Farm Management Deposits Scheme to eligible trucking businesses. 

“To help the trucking industry weather future natural disasters, the FMD scheme should be extended to include trucking businesses that receive more than 50 per cent of their income from sectors that currently have access to FMDs,” Mr Crouch said.   

Businesses can find more info at www.bushfireinfo.business/