Road Access Challenges and Solutions

More Efficient Freight OperationsNational Opportunities

Gerard WaldronManaging Director

ARRB Group

Presentation

• The Path to meeting freight demand• Relevant research findings• Matching the right truck to the right road• National opportunities

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Path to meeting the freight demand

Vehicles

FreightdemandFreight

demand

PerformanceMeasure

Access

Infrastructure

StandardsEvaluate

Efficiencygains

EfficiencygainsAssess

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Classification

Classification

Local advances in productivity

• Many advances in productivity over the years

Productivity improvement Year

Gross vehicle mass (GVM) increase 1950s

Trailer length increase 1989

Introduction of B-doubles 1990’s

Increases in cubic capacity 1997

Truck and dog trailer improvements 1997

Introduction of PBS 2000s

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Infrastructure considerations

• Matching trucks to appropriate roads– The importance of Route Assessment

• Route assessment at the SRA level• The importance of the Last mile

– The Role of Local Government– The PBS Route Assessment Tool

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HV Access at the State level

• All SRA’s applied the NTC’s route classification guidelines to strategic freight routes in Australia

• Completed by each StateRoad Authority in 2007-08

• Achieved national consistency and improved uptake of PBS vehicles

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Source: NTC

Generic route assessment process

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Lane width

Shoulder width

Grade

AADT volume

intersections

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

A particular route or set of

routes is defined

Road/route data is collected or

collated

The classification

guidelines are applied

The access Levels are

determined

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Roads owned by local government (comprising 85%

of the transport network) were not captured

The NTC guidelines are not suitable for local government

road networks

Are constantly facing requests for access, with few

alternatives or options

PBS Route Assessment Tool

Where Does PBS RAT Fit In?

Supplements not replaces Local manager decision making!

How the Tool Helps

• National Regulator means a change in responsibilities for Local Government

• Goal is to achieve consistency in route classification (access) by using a tool that is:– Suitable for local government– Easy to use, quick or detailed– Support for both near-zero and rich data inputs

• Simplifies PBS guidelines for local road infrastructure

System Outputs

• PBS Classification Score (PBS level 1-4 a/b)• Detailed classification reports, including pinch

point(s)• Consolidated “published” route reporting area• Mapping outputs - route and location• Data export linkages through road ID’s etc• Additional linkages to be considered in

national context

Project progress

• PBS Route Assessment Tool Software– 79 Victorian councils have access– 6 training workshops delivered across Victoria– Around 100 registered users– PBS Network in central Victoria has gown considerably

• ALGA – Road Transport Advisory Committee Trial– Participating jurisdictions include Qld, SA, Tas and NSW– Jurisdictions to trial the tool in 6-8 local governments– Interim report to NHVR (6 weeks)– Final evaluation report to NHVR

National opportunities

– Consistency in approach– Certainty of operations– Identification of pinch points on

key infrastructure• Linkage to funding

– Improved land use planning outcomes

– More efficient freight operations

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What else could be done?

• Resource availability• Planning for freight in LG areas• Decision support tools

– Bridges– Pavements– Prescriptive vehicles– Over Size Over Mass– Amenity

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