For many transport operators, journey planning has traditionally been viewed as a scheduling exercise. The new Master Code of Practice under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) takes a much broader view.
The Master Code dedicates five separate transport activities to journey planning, covering driver allocation, scheduling, route selection, vehicle allocation and owner-driver decision making. Together they highlight an important shift in Chain of Responsibility (CoR) thinking: many heavy vehicle safety risks are created before a journey even begins.
The activities reinforce the idea that safe transport outcomes depend on planning, communication and collaboration between all parties involved in the transport task.
Putting the Right Driver on the Right Job
Activity 25 focuses on allocating drivers to transport tasks.
The Master Code recommends businesses consider far more than licence classes when assigning work. Operators should understand the driver’s experience, competencies, fitness for duty, fatigue levels and knowledge of the task before allocating a journey.
Drivers should also be provided with information about the vehicle, load, destination and any site-specific requirements before commencing work.
This reflects a practical reality in transport operations. A driver may hold the correct licence but still lack the experience, knowledge or current fitness required for a particular task.
The Code encourages businesses to think about future allocations as well, ensuring upcoming jobs allow sufficient rest opportunities and do not create fatigue risks later in the week.
The End of Unrealistic Schedules
Perhaps the strongest message within the journey planning section relates to scheduling.
For many years the transport industry has recognised that unrealistic schedules can indirectly encourage speeding, fatigue and unsafe behaviour. The Master Code addresses this issue directly.
Activity 26 recommends that schedules include time for all work activities, not just driving. Loading, unloading, inspections, paperwork, vehicle checks and delays all need to be accounted for.
The Code specifically states that schedules should allow sufficient time for journeys to be completed without causing drivers to feel pressured to speed, drive while fatigued, operate when unfit for duty or breach work and rest requirements.
Importantly, the NHVR also recommends building flexibility into schedules so unexpected delays can be managed safely.
For fleet operators, this means journey planning is no longer simply about achieving delivery windows. It is about ensuring transport tasks can be completed safely under real-world conditions.
Fatigue Starts in the Office
Another key theme is fatigue management.
The Master Code repeatedly highlights the need to assess a driver’s current and anticipated fatigue levels during planning and scheduling activities. Schedulers should understand work and rest histories, provide adequate recovery opportunities and minimise overnight driving where possible.
Where journeys between midnight and dawn cannot be avoided, the Code recommends implementing additional fatigue management controls.
This reinforces an important principle of modern Chain of Responsibility laws: fatigue is not solely a driver issue. Decisions made by schedulers, supervisors and managers can significantly influence whether fatigue risks emerge.
Route Planning Is Risk Management
The route planning activity demonstrates how much more sophisticated transport planning has become.
Rather than simply selecting the shortest route, the Master Code encourages businesses to consider infrastructure restrictions, vehicle dimensions, load requirements, stopping opportunities, rest areas and route-specific hazards.
Potential hazards such as low bridges, tunnels, restricted access roads and other infrastructure limitations should be identified before the journey begins.
The Code also recommends identifying safe stopping locations and establishing alternative routes where hazards cannot be avoided.
For oversize overmass operations, route surveys may be required to confirm that the vehicle combination can safely negotiate the approved route.
This approach reflects a broader safety management philosophy where risks are anticipated and controlled before they are encountered on the road.
Vehicle Selection Matters Too
Activity 28 focuses on allocating vehicles to transport tasks.
The Master Code recognises that not every vehicle is suitable for every job. Businesses should consider mass limits, dimensions, route conditions, loading requirements and destination constraints before allocating a vehicle.
The Code goes further by recommending businesses refuse transport tasks if a suitable vehicle cannot be allocated safely.
This may sound obvious, but it represents a significant shift away from the traditional mindset of finding a way to “make it work” regardless of the circumstances.
Instead, the focus is on ensuring capability matches the task.
A Strong Message for Owner Drivers
The Master Code also includes a dedicated activity for owner drivers.
Before accepting a transport task, owner drivers are encouraged to assess their own competence, fatigue levels, vehicle suitability and operational capacity. They should also ensure that taking on new work does not compromise commitments already made to existing customers.
The inclusion of a specific owner-driver activity recognises that many safety decisions in the transport industry are made by small business operators working independently.
Planning Is a Safety Control
The overall message from the journey planning activities is that planning itself is a safety control.
Many transport incidents can be traced back to decisions made before a vehicle leaves the depot. Poor scheduling, inadequate route selection, unsuitable vehicle allocation and unrealistic expectations can all create safety risks that drivers are left to manage on the road.
The Master Code encourages businesses to move beyond viewing journey planning as an administrative task and instead recognise it as a critical part of meeting their Primary Duty under the HVNL.
For transport operators, fleet managers and supply chain partners, the challenge is no longer simply getting freight from A to B. It is ensuring every decision made before the journey starts contributes to a safe outcome once the vehicle is on the road.
