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Stakeholder feedback will help make it easier to get new trains running
Australian governments want to get more freight on rail to reduce road congestion, improve safety and help the country reach emissions targets.
To support this, we’re working with industry, governments and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) to make it easier to get new, more innovative trains on track. Through NRAP we’re developing a consistent approach to the approving and testing of new rolling stock. This will reduce costs, save time and encourage investment in new, improved rolling stock.
A recent review of Australia’s rolling stock approval processes highlighted the many differences that exist between networks. This includes variations in terminology, information required and varying understandings of the different stages of approval such as certification and registration.
We’ll soon be releasing a consultation paper outlining the current state of rolling stock approval processes and seeking stakeholder feedback on options to improve them.
You can find out more about our work to streamline the rolling stock approval process here. Or watch a recording of our recent webinar here.
Using AI to help harmonise rail operating rules across Australia
In May we’ll be kicking off a new project to explore ways that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to harmonise rail operating rules and reduce the regulatory and training burden on rail workers.
Right now, in Australia rail workers need to be knowledgeable in up to 12 different rule books, and to maintain competencies across every network on which they operate. While competencies may share many elements in common, they are not mutually recognised.
By harmonising many of the differences in rules and procedures we can:
- encourage mutual recognition of skills
- reduce the burden on workers
- improve safety
- drive down costs and time lost to extra training
- make it simpler and easier for workers to move across networks,
improving workforce portability and expanding our national rail skills base.
Comparing the many different roles, responsibilities and rules that exist across rail networks is a huge and complex task. To help us find better ways to do this, a team of specialists will use AI to:
- undertake a gap analysis of Safely Access the Rail Corridor training across five registered training organisations
- identify opportunities for harmonisation.
The project will look at the costs and benefits of using AI technology and provide insights as to how the technology can be used more broadly to reduce differences, making rail simpler, safer and better able to grow a skilled and mobile workforce.
You can find out more about how we’re streamlining rail skills and training here.