In a move to optimise the time management of truck drivers, the first phase to slash truck queues is being unfolded, the Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has announced.
ALC chief executive Hal Morris said following the expansion of its retail logistics supply chain (RLSC) code of conduct, the organisation has incorporated time slot and queuing principles and standards into the code of conduct audit process
The initiative aims to improve on-time delivery, truck turnaround times (TTT) and compliance with chain of responsibility and safety requirements.
“Retailers, along with transport and logistics providers, have been working proactively together to address these problems,” Mr Morris said.
“The transport industry has long run up against long queues of trucks at dispatch and receipt locations, and this will bite even harder with the soon-to-be-introduced national fatigue laws that will class the time in the queues as driving time.”
According to Mr Morris, inconsistent time slotting and queuing practices has resulted in drivers waiting “unacceptable time” before loading or unloading, leading to drivers exceeding their operating hours and unnecessary additional emissions.
“This hits drivers particularly hard when they are paid by kilometre, not by the time spent at the wheel, thereby encourage unsafe driving practices.”
He said incorporating time slotting and queuing principles into the RLSC audit framework, which has been endorsed by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC), would ensure a level of consistency across the supply chain.
“The RLSC code of conduct is proven to improve safety, performance and reliability, delivering benefits for business and workers,” Mr Morris said.
The RLSC code and the time slot and queuing principles and standards can be found on the ALC website www.austlogistics.com.au.