MP sounds alarm over crisis hit truckies
The economic crisis is forcing truck drivers to take short-cuts on
safety, adding to the already perilous conditions on southern suburbs
highways, Federal Member for Tangney Dennis Jensen warned Monday.
“I’ve got truck drivers coming to me and saying they have been pushed to the edge by the economic crisis,” Dr Jensen said.
“Work has dried up and they are struggling to meet repayments on their trucks, so maintenance is taking a lower priority. This is especially true of owner-operators, many of whom had to put their homes up as security to get credit for trucks.
“They are saying there just isn’t the money to keep to normal maintenance schedules, and it is easy to see why when something as simple as a new tyre can cost almost $1000.
“The drivers themselves are saying they are not satisfied with the safety of their vehicles, and that should give us all cause for concern.”
Dr Jensen said the slump in the transport sector had also made an already cut-throat industry even more competitive, with drivers so desperate for work that they would take any jobs offered.
“I’ve heard of cases where drivers are getting up at 1am and 2am, groggy from sleep, and setting out for one-off jobs that pay as little as $50 – barely enough to cover the cost of fuel,” he added.
“They’ll do anything to get the work, because there is simply so little work out there for them.”
Dr Jensen said some unscrupulous operators were taking advantage of this desperation, forcing drivers to take greater risks in order to get work.
“I have even heard of one corporate operator which is making drivers overload their trucks,” he said.
“If they refuse, that’s the end of their work.”
The problems were exacerbated by a Federal Government subsidy on new truck purchases which had caused a collapse in the market for second hand vehicles.
“For a lot of these operators, who bought trucks when times were good, they can’t even sell them to pay off debts,” Dr Jensen said.
“Even if there are buyers out there, it is cheaper to buy a new truck and get the government subsidy.”
The problems faced by drivers increased the danger faced by all motorists using major arteries such as South Street and Leach Highway, and highlighted the need for completion of the Roe Highway project,” Dr Jensen added.
“It is bad enough that the truck drivers are telling us there are these very real safety concerns,” he said.
“But even worse, we are all being forced to run the daily gauntlet of heavy goods vehicles because of a failure by the state government to proceed with Roe Highway Stage 8 and the Fremantle Bypass.
“The new state government has committed to completing the project and I think most of us look forward to that.”
“I’ve got truck drivers coming to me and saying they have been pushed to the edge by the economic crisis,” Dr Jensen said.
“Work has dried up and they are struggling to meet repayments on their trucks, so maintenance is taking a lower priority. This is especially true of owner-operators, many of whom had to put their homes up as security to get credit for trucks.
“They are saying there just isn’t the money to keep to normal maintenance schedules, and it is easy to see why when something as simple as a new tyre can cost almost $1000.
“The drivers themselves are saying they are not satisfied with the safety of their vehicles, and that should give us all cause for concern.”
Dr Jensen said the slump in the transport sector had also made an already cut-throat industry even more competitive, with drivers so desperate for work that they would take any jobs offered.
“I’ve heard of cases where drivers are getting up at 1am and 2am, groggy from sleep, and setting out for one-off jobs that pay as little as $50 – barely enough to cover the cost of fuel,” he added.
“They’ll do anything to get the work, because there is simply so little work out there for them.”
Dr Jensen said some unscrupulous operators were taking advantage of this desperation, forcing drivers to take greater risks in order to get work.
“I have even heard of one corporate operator which is making drivers overload their trucks,” he said.
“If they refuse, that’s the end of their work.”
The problems were exacerbated by a Federal Government subsidy on new truck purchases which had caused a collapse in the market for second hand vehicles.
“For a lot of these operators, who bought trucks when times were good, they can’t even sell them to pay off debts,” Dr Jensen said.
“Even if there are buyers out there, it is cheaper to buy a new truck and get the government subsidy.”
The problems faced by drivers increased the danger faced by all motorists using major arteries such as South Street and Leach Highway, and highlighted the need for completion of the Roe Highway project,” Dr Jensen added.
“It is bad enough that the truck drivers are telling us there are these very real safety concerns,” he said.
“But even worse, we are all being forced to run the daily gauntlet of heavy goods vehicles because of a failure by the state government to proceed with Roe Highway Stage 8 and the Fremantle Bypass.
“The new state government has committed to completing the project and I think most of us look forward to that.”
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