OMNISTAR has become the latest company to gain certification as an Intelligent Access Program (IAP) service provider, as the start date for the program nears.
The GPS provider last week met the necessary requirements to become the third player in the field, prompting Transport Certification Australia (TCA) to call it a win for trucking operators.
TCA Chief Executive Chris Koniditsiotis said the addition of another service provider demonstrates the robustness of the program and further increases the competitive environment.
OmniSTAR, Transtech Driven and Minorplanet Asia Pacific are the only companies permitted to provide the hardware and software for heavy vehicles to be monitored.
Trucking operators will need to sign a contract with one of the providers to have the necessary equipment installed before July 1 or risk being denied access to Higher Mass Limits (HML).
OmniSTAR is already runs an established on-board management system through its asset monitoring and tracking solutions. The company has offices in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
Under IAP, government agencies grant heavy vehicle operators greater route access in return for being monitored via GPS.
The TCA says the decision to implement IAP is based on ensuring drivers do not stray onto routes incapable of supporting heavy vehicles, such as old bridges.
The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has criticised the decision to adopt a monitoring tool, saying there is still no access guarantee if operators adopt the scheme.
ATA Chairman Trevor Martyn said an operator could spend tens of thousands of dollars to enrol in IAP, and then have no recourse if a local council refuses to let them use the last mile of road that may make the whole investment worthwhile.
The ATA has called for the scheme to be scrapped because companies are already investing large amounts of money in their own vehicle tracking systems to comply with road access regulations.
Despite this, Transtech Driven claims operators are signing up to the program based on the concern they will be denied route access if they do not have the necessary equipment installed before the July 1 deadline.
The NSW Roads Traffic Authority (RTA) earlier this month urged companies to plan up to three months in advance to ensure they met IAP requirements.
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