In the face of a significant backlash from the trucking industry, the West Australian Government has backed away from its plans to compel the state’s big trucks to display signs showing how long the vehicle is in metres … and what that equates to in car numbers.
These were due to replace the standard ‘long vehicle’ or ‘road train’ signs attached to the back of haulage trailers, which had been due to become compulsory on January 1, 2025.
However, the Heavy Vehicle Road Signage Reference Group (HVRSRG), which was formed to have another look at the plans, has now decided it wasn’t a good idea, after all.
The committee determined that there will now be no mandatory new signs.
Transport firms will now have a choice of which length warning sign to display. PIC: Main Roads
It means transport operators will now not be required to replace the current ‘Long Vehicle’ and ‘Road Train’ signs with the new RAV (Restricted Access Vehicle) warning signs.
Instead, for vehicles longer than 22 metres, operators can choose between the existing ‘Long Vehicle’ and ‘Road Train’ signs, or new graphic signs that show the length of the vehicle (e.g. 27.5m, 36.5m, or 53.5m).
The committee said the new RAV warning signs would now be optional, but said they offered several benefits, including providing more information to other road users to help them decide if it was safe to overtake the road train or long vehicle. The signs would also educate drivers about the length of road trains using clear images and car graphics for comparison.
Transport companies had expressed deep reservations to Government about the costs of having to buy and fit the new signs. They also foresaw issues when drivers finished a particular task and then had to change trailer combinations, and therefore overall vehicle length.
The new signage system idea was initially tested by WA Main Roads on regional roads during 2022 and 2023. It said the trial had received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with approximately 90% of respondents supporting the new signage.
Certainly, when the idea was introduced earlier this year, many grey nomads were quick to see the benefits.
Commenting on the Grey Nomads website, Jo F hailed it as a ‘fantastic idea’
“Truck drivers are fully aware of their length and wish all other drivers including car and caravan drivers would take into consideration how long their truck and trailers can be, and how long it takes to pass them,” she said. “These signs will give vehicles following information as to what type of transport combination is in front of them … it will also give them an opportunity to make sound decisions as to pass or not.”
And Johnno thought other safety measures should also be considered.
“It would also help if passing lanes had a sign at the start indicating the length of the passing lane as some are very short,” he said.
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I’m with the transport operators on this one.
I can’t see any great benefit for Grey Nomads in having these new signs. On open straight roads where passing is theoretically possible, the truck-trailer combination will most likely be at its legal speed of 100kph. That speed is also the legal maximum for car-caravan combinations. Drivers towing a caravan who are reckless enough to contemplate passing a road train going at full speed would not be bothered with the pretty new graphics on the back of the trailer in front of them.
Also, the white-on-black “information” is not particularly friendly or clear to Grey Nomads. By the time you have deciphered the car lengths, done the mental arithmetic, calculated the needed speed to pass etc., you will be at the next blind corner, passing lane or town anyway!
I totally agree Dirk, most road trains exceed speed limit of 100kph so you can’t pass anyway.
Showing the number of cars we would have to overtake would give a decent idea of just how long the road train is.
Stupid idea in the first place, probably dreamed up by braindead office workers with no idea of reality, and nothing better to do.
The number of trailers we tow may vary from day to day according to what area we’re in, and how we load.
Having to carry an assortment of signs, and change them as necessary, would waste heaps of time.
If a car is following a Roadtrain it is easy to see how long it is.
If the road is straight, and there is no oncoming traffic,it is easy to move into the other lane to see how long the truck is, and then make a decision about continuing the overtaking manoevre.
If the road ahead is not straight, it still is easy to see how many trailers the Roadtrain has as it goes around corners, and then decide whether to overtake when next there is clear road ahead.
However, the idea that Roadtrains are slow often is wrong as we usually can maintain a speed of 100kmh once we’re mobile.
Many caravanners have absolutely NO idea how to drive when around Roadtrains, with a big problem being drivers seeming to break their necks to overtake us, and then slowing down to 90kmh. ….. absolute madness and very annoying as we have NO way of overtaking them to maintain our trip times.
Unless you’re going to maintain your 100kmh speed, or go faster, it is much safer to simply stay behind us.
If you’re very close behind, there also is a fuel saving benefit.
Additionally, caravanners generally are on holiday.
What’s the rush?
All this for safety overtakeing, and why are caravaners not compulsory to be fitted with UHF radios and on channel 40? That means everyone knows what is going on and desired intentions.
Anyone towing a caravan should in my opinion have a UHF radio.
Communication with the truck driver makes life so much easier for everyone.
I drive Bdoubles and it is so nice when I get a courteous caravaner who communicates with me.
A nice idea, but an imposition on the road train drivers to regularly change signs for little gain for car drivers or grey nomads. I can’t recall ever overtaking a road train and it is more usual for me to get off the road to let a road train overtake me safely.
I agree with Stew G, if you are Towing a Caravan you should not attempt to overtake a LONG RAOD TRAIN & it is easy to see their Length, ( Unless they are on a Dry Dusty Road ) in which case just stay way back off them and if you have a 2way Radio call then Drive up on Chanell 40 and talk to the Driver who will I am sure advise you when it may be SAFE to Pass his Road Train, and yes in NSW & W.A. the SPEED LIMIT for TOWING a Caravan is 100KPH. Also if they Governments, both State & Federal get country Roads Sealed there need to be a more regular maintenance of these Sealed Roads especially the EDGES of any Bitumen SEALDROADS..