Compliance is a never-ending battle, but technology is reducing the burden

Meeting compliance requirements is a constant battle for transport operators. From managing driver fatigue to ensuring vehicles are roadworthy, strict regulations must be followed at all times, or else operators run the risk of large fines and other penalties.

In March this year, a WA freight haulage company and its sole director were fined a total of $400,000 after a worker suffered serious injuries from operating a vehicle without the necessary training or authorisation. In 2024, another local transport service company was fined a total of $89,000 after being convicted on 24 separate charges under the State’s workplace fatigue management laws.

Maintaining compliance is a never-ending task, but the upside is, fleet safety technology is streamlining the process while making it safer, more efficient, and less of a burden. By automating tasks, minimising risks, and boosting safety, technology is enabling transport businesses to stay compliant while operating more effectively.

Below are some of the key ways technology is supporting compliance efforts while also enhancing safety and operational efficiency.

Preventing and mitigating driver fatigue

Driver fatigue is one of the top causes of road incidents in Australia, and regulators are cracking down. It contributes to about 20 to 30% of all car crashes in Australia, according to the Australian Automobile Association, and it’s not just the driver’s responsibility.

Under Chain of Responsibility (CoR) laws, employers, schedulers, and even customers can be fined if their decisions contribute to fatigue breaches.

Technology can help by:

• Automatically logging driver hours and rest breaks
• Providing audit-ready data to prove reasonable steps were taken
   

Case in point: A NSW transport company was fined $180,000 under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) for failing to manage fatigue and speed compliance. The Managing Director and scheduler were each fined $15,000. The takeaway from this example is: Fatigue is a whole-of-business issue, and smart tools help you manage risk, improve safety, and meet your CoR obligations.

Going paperless to reduce risk

Still relying on paper logbooks in 2025? Manual tracking is time-consuming, error-prone, and increasingly risky.

That’s why the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has approved Electronic Work Diaries (EWDs) as a modern, compliant alternative.

The benefits of EWDs:

• Accurate tracking of driver hours and rest breaks
• Reduced paperwork and admin
• Easier audits and faster compliance checks
• Improved visibility across the fleet
   

Overall, digital work diaries help fleets stay on top of fatigue laws, reduce manual processes, and prepare for future regulation changes.

You can’t protect what you can’t see

Visibility is key to compliance, and camera systems offer more than just footage. They’re a vital tool for safety, accountability, and risk reduction.

Why fleets rely on camera technology:

• Provides video evidence for incident investigations and insurance claims
• Monitors driver behaviour such as distraction and speeding
• Helps demonstrate CoR compliance and proactive risk management
• Often reduces insurance premiums by lowering risk
   

Camera technology doesn’t just protect your people, it helps you prove compliance and reduce liability. In a real-life compliance investigation, regulators may request footage to verify driver behaviour or safety practices. Footage can also protect both drivers and businesses in legal disputes or false claims.

Prevention is always better than a cure

Keeping your vehicles roadworthy isn’t just good practice. It’s the law, and the NHVR conducts inspections and enforces strict maintenance standards.

Smart tools can support compliance by enabling digital pre-start safety checks. Then, a daily walkaround check can detect any minor mechanical or practical issues before they become a more serious problem.

Scheduling early maintenance saves money in the long run, minimises the danger of breakdowns and maximises your fleet uptime.

It’s a small price to pay to help you stay compliant, protect drivers, and avoid unnecessary downtime or fines. And the alternative is potentially heavy penalties, suspension of operations for unsafe vehicles, as well as increased costs from breakdowns, voided insurance, and legal action.

Considering the above risks, it’s time for all fleet operators to ask themselves: Am I compliant? If the answer is no, then technology can help you get back on track.

Learn more about Microlise’s fleet safety and compliance technology here.

Image credit: iStock.com/GoodLifeStudio. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.