2nd June 2019 Nag, Nag, Nag.

Goodaye all. Just grabbing a quick lunch of chicken with rice and lemon and off to Toowoomba again. Started an audio book supplied by young Gregory, only to be told I was reading the wrong one first. Damn, I was just getting into it, but thank goodness, hopefully haven’t gone too far to spoil it for later. I missed last weeks’ entry for my other Facebook page “Audiobooks for the road” another spare time activity, so if you read them, have a look and participate.

That of course has been my theme for the week, getting others to participate in the HVNL review. I have raised my concerns in a number of media outlets and avenues, rang mates and asked them to have a look and even asked drivers on the UHF. Most have said, they will have a look, but also said it is a big ask simply for time. We are all time poor and if you have to decide whether to look at 70 pages, or keep your wife and or family happy when you are never there anyway, which will give you more life value?

The NTC have responded saying they want input and that is a good step, yet I fear from those I have asked, that they have either watched others and seen them respond with no changes, or have made the effort, with one mate saying, “I still love trucks, but I am over the industry. I have contributed to many things over the years and not once, have I seen an improvement in something directly helping me.”

If not enough respond, will we get any improvement? Yes there is the microsite where you can have a whinge, raise a problem, but there is not enough room for the solution. You still have to sign up and or log in and I spent time looking for the other submissions with no luck and gave up. I am keen, others maybe not so much and how hard will they try if it is just too difficult, no matter how easy someone else will tell you it is.

The ATA have also responded saying they will also help any member get their views across and I very much welcome that, both in intent and the offer itself. I have not seen any of their member associations put in submissions, but hope they have. If we all rely and contribute to the single ATA submission and no one else does individually, do you think that will be recognised as serious and get the right response?

I would like to see hundreds of drivers contribute, even if they only put in the one thing that really gives them trouble on the road. It does need to be a genuine concern, with details, the problem and a possible solution. These real life events and issues showing the problems and why they are problems, may well see more done than any single industry submission in itself, whether it represents ten associations or ten drivers. The more effort put in, hopefully the better the outcome, but that is where the past is making many cynical.

What is your one biggest problem, why and what is the solution. If you only send that in, I will be personally thankful. Is the process right? Will we get value for the money spent? Those questions cannot be answered till the end and I hope you don’t get sick of my nagging, but I want it fixed and better for drivers. What do you want? Safe Travelling, Rod Hannifey.