Transurban hit the pause button on the launch of its driverless trucks trial in Melbourne after an eleventh hour protest by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) yesterday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The six-month trial had been scheduled to begin last night<\/a>, but Transurban told Big Rigs it has delayed the start while \u201cdiscussions\u201d continue with the TWU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The union called for an immediate stop to the \u201cshambolic\u201d trials until \u201cproper consultation processes\u201d are established with the state government, industry, and community stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDue to a lack of consultation with necessary stakeholders, this trial will result in major delays to the critical distribution of freight,\u201d the union said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The TWU believes that no automated heavy vehicle should be placed on public roads until there is unanimous agreement from government officials, the industry, and the community that these vehicles are safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The TWU also criticised the current trials for not adequately demonstrating the ability of these technologies to interact safely with human drivers, pedestrians, and other road users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe recent sneaky strategy of notifying the public through mere lane closure alerts via Linkt is highly alarming and indicates gross mismanagement and lack of transparency,\u201d the union claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mem Suleyman, the union\u2019s Victoria\/Tasmania branch secretary, said the trials could also lead to delays to freight, including vital supplies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe community\u2019s safety and the futures of our truck drivers are jeopardized due to this poorly executed plan,\u201d Suleyman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s unacceptable that these trials are being pushed by corporations that continue to disadvantage our hard-working mums and dads that work day in, day out to carry Victorians.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The union said further consulation also needs to address safety evaluations, ethical implications, and community concerns comprehensively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n TWU is also demanding full transparency and involvement of the workforce in discussions about the implementation and impacts of automated trucks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTransport is Australia\u2019s deadliest industry, and the introduction of untested technologies could lead to even more tragedies,\u201d added Suleyman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Transurban spokesperson said the trial has been months in the making, including consultation with a wide cross-section of stakeholders and communication with customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There has also been briefings and industry events for stakeholders to learn more about how smart road technology can help keep our growing cities moving in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The plan for on-road trial activity follows months of rigorous testing at the Australian Automotive Research Centre, before the vehicles were approved by the Department of Transport and Planning and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to drive on-road, the spokesperson added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n