ASR relay van proposal will wipe out Drivers’ jobs in rural NSW

Cartoon by Simon Kneebone

Using the same relay van working it has between Adelaide and Perth, ASR would cut the present Adelaide - Parkes 3 x two-Driver crews to only 2 x two-Driver crews, with a 40 hour layover in a motel in Parkes.

The same two crews would then return to Dry Creek, and take a 24 hour break before doing it all again.

This is a five day cycle away from home, and will destroy Drivers' family and social life.

This 30% cut in jobs allows ASR to operate trains into NSW without employing any crew in NSW. If this Relay Van Working gets started, then all other operators can be expected to ask for the same. This could eliminate all NSW intermodal freight Driver jobs, especially in regional NSW.

Unlike the Nullabor Plain, where there are no towns, there is absolutely no need for relay van working into NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

Safety

With Relay Van Working, Drivers are expected to shift from the crash-protected cab to a travelling van - still the workplace - which is not designed to withstand a crash. Trailing the relay van could possibly be a 4,000 tonne train, which has the potential to crush the van in an accident.

There have been no tests carried out in Australia on the effect of relay van noise, vibration and diesel fumes on the health and fatigue levels of Drivers. The only crash tests have been real crashes.