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Media Release: Regular truck maintenance key to lowering emissions

08 December 2016

Legislative change to the Fuel Tax Act to encourage regular maintenance of trucks is key to ensuring vehicles continue to meet emissions standards, regardless of their age.

This was the message delivered by Geoff Crouch, Managing Director of Ron Crouch Transport and Vice Chair of the Australian Trucking Association during his presentation at a Mercedes Benz Dealer Conference this week.

“Trucks need regular maintenance in order to meet emission standards and amending the eligibility for fuel tax credits would provide a powerful incentive for regular maintenance,” Mr Crouch said.

“Contained within the Fuel Tax Act are a set of environmental conditions that for trucking operators must meet to qualify for fuel tax credits. 

“A truck has to be manufactured on or after 1 January 1996, or meet one of three maintenance or testing criteria,” he said.

When the Fuel Tax Act was first introduced, 61 per cent of the truck fleet was manufactured before 1996 and had to meet a maintenance or testing criteria in order to claim fuel tax credits. In 2016 this has fallen to just 33 per cent of the fleet.

“The ATA supports the removal of the 1996 criteria, which would see the entire existing truck fleet needing to meet a maintenance or testing criteria in order to qualify for fuel tax credits,” Mr Crouch said.

“Together with the work of leading truck brands such as Mercedes Benz who are introducing the latest Euro VI emission standards and better fuel economy for trucking operators, this will maximise emission compliance in the trucking fleet,” he said.

Mr Crouch spoke to the Mercedes Benz Dealer Conference on emission standards, high productivity vehicles, TruckSafe, autonomous vehicles, safety technologies and the state of the trucking industry.

Media contact:            Donna Jeremiah 0417 211 441 or Anne Nguyen 0487 904 111