Australia's intelligent access program (IAP): enabling improved road safety outcomes

The Intelligent Access Program (IAP) is an Australian Transport Council reform and has been developed at a time when the Australian road network is facing increasing challenges, including safety of the road network. Increases in freight volumes have been higher than truck travel growth rates because of the trend towards larger trucks and higher payloads. Heavier articulated trucks are replacing smaller rigid trucks. Along with freight issues, Australia is facing challenges in road safety through the interaction of people, vehicles and infrastructure. The IAP provides a nationally agreed platform to support the current and future telematics business needs of governments. This ensures that the public and private benefits of IAP can be realised. The IAP provides a nationally agreed and industry compatible: 1. Policy & regulatory framework; 2. Functional & technical platform; 3. Operational environment; 4. Commercial setting. The IAP has been operational for two years and currently has numerous IAP applications in NSW, QLD and VIC. Additional IAP applications are being planned in SA and TAS. The program now has a legacy to provide and build on the learnings from the road safety perspective. Of particular interest are the pre and post qualitative and quantitative observations of behaviour. The paper presents the IAP as a broad function of applications. It presents specific applications identifying the safety benefits and outcomes.