Truck Driver Gets $17.5K Fine for Fudged Work Diary

A truck driver has received fines to the value of $17,500 and had to pay costs of $900 after a magistrates found that he had lied in his work diary, making 5 misleading entries.

The Roads and Maritime Services Director Compliance Roger Weeks, said the 44 year old driver from Victoria was stopped by heavy vehicle inspectors in January. Inspectors said he was driving a 63 tonne B-Double combination from Port Kembla to Dandenong in Victoria.

Mr Weeks pointed out that basic driver fatigue inspection was part of the process and as part of it a work diary check was initiated. Inspectors discovered that the man had made 5 false entries in his work diary in the days prior. The driver claimed to have stopped and rested, as part of fatigue management, which is a requirement.

Inspectors found the times and dates did not correspond with real time images that inspectors were able to cross reference his vehicle with from the Safe-T-Cam network.

Mr Weeks also highlighted the responsibility of the driver’s employer under chain of responsibility laws to keep records of drivers’ activities, which includes monitoring their rest breaks and working times.

Once again operators, schedulers, consignors and consignees were reminded that as part of Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) everyone has an obligation to ensure that chain of responsibility laws are not breached. Find out more https://www.ownerdriver.com.au/industry-news/1704/fudged-work-diary-lands-truckie-$175k-fine