The trucking industry is calling on all Australian states and territories to adopt South Australia’s new approach to licensing drivers of multi-combination (MC) trucks, including B-doubles, A-doubles, B-triples, and road trains.
The reform, introduced by SA Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis, replaces the existing 12-month wait period with a supervised MC licence program. It also removes the recognition of overseas heavy vehicle experience for MC licences – except from New Zealand – ensuring that all applicants are trained and assessed in Australian conditions.
South Australia’s changes follow the tragic death of veteran driver Neville Mugridge in a crash involving a triple road train, a type of vehicle that has a major crash rate nearly 2.5 times higher than that of B-doubles.
Australian Trucking Association (ATA) Chair Mark Parry said the existing MC licence category is too broad. “The MC class covers trucks with widely different handling characteristics. A driver trained on a B-double may not be able to handle a longer road train safely,” he said.
He also pointed out the additional challenge for international drivers: “A driver whose experience is from overseas may find driving an MC truck even more challenging because they are still learning the formal and informal rules of Australia’s roads.”
With national MC licence reforms still years away, the ATA is urging other states to follow South Australia’s lead as an interim step.
The policy shift was championed by the South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA), which had long lobbied for a change. CEO Steve Shearer OAM said, “Australia has much larger trucks than other countries and our operating environment is different. We now urge every other state to match Minister Koutsantonis’s initiative, ensuring consistent training and assessment of all truck drivers, including those from overseas.”
The Australian Livestock and Rural Transport Association (ALRTA) brought the policy to the ATA for national endorsement. Its president Gerard Johnson praised the approach as “practical, inclusive and safety focused”.
“Implementing this model nationally will ensure all drivers – regardless of background – are trained on Australian roads to handle the real-world conditions they’ll face,” Johnson said. “It’s great to see the industry united in backing Minister Koutsantonis’s leadership to deliver a smart interim step while longer-term reforms are developed. This is the kind of common-sense, cooperative reform Australia needs.”
The ATA tested support for the South Australian model through a roundtable with multicultural drivers, facilitated with backing from Teletrac Navman, the NHVR, and ATA Foundation Sponsors – Volvo Trucks, NTI and bp.
“The roundtable participants unanimously endorsed the changes that South Australia has made,” Mr Parry said.
He added that national adoption of the SA model would not only improve safety outcomes but could also reduce racism experienced by international drivers. “Every MC driver will have the same HR or HC experience on Australian roads,” he said.
With more than one million heavy vehicles operating across Australia and road safety campaigns such as “We All Need Space” and “Don’t #uck with a Truck” highlighting the need for consistent road behaviour, the industry’s focus is now squarely on improving the training pipeline for the largest and most complex trucks on our roads.
For further information, visit nhvr.gov.au or contact the ATA or relevant state associations.
