Cam Dumesny

SPECIAL REPORT: A new road usage charge to be levied on certain heavy vehicles by the City of Kwinana has drawn the ire of Western Roads Federation chief executive Cam Dumesny, who says it is another example of a local government imposing additional costs and red tape on the trucking industry.

A new regulatory system for heavy haulage movements on the east coast is costing the Western Australian economy millions, according to local trucking players, who are warning that the introduction of a similar model here would cause major problems.

SPECIAL REPORT: WA could be about 1,000 truck drivers short at a time the industry believes there are signs of an upswing.

National advisory body Infrastructure Australia has added regional roads upgrades in WA and Perth’s water security to its listing of high priority initiatives that need more attention, and notably has kept the proposed Morley Ellenbrook rail link near the bottom of its priority list.

The resources sector has enthusiastically embraced a new government-backed app designed to facilitate travel across Western Australia but the freight sector has been lukewarm in its response, despite being touted as a major beneficiary.

The state’s peak trucking body is pushing for a meeting between industry and government amid a major truck driver shortage.

Resources companies need workers, while the state has the most job vacancies since 2012.

Half of the state’s heavy vehicle fleet could be brought to a standstill in a matter of weeks amid a global shortage of high-grade urea, WA’s peak trucking body has warned.

The state has just more than a month to prepare for multi-million dollar supply chain disruptions similar to those hitting Australia’s east coast.

Hepa filters, CO2 monitors and N95 masks should be on the list for WA businesses as they prepare for state borders to reopen, Andrew Miller says.

Worker shortages and supply chain issues could disrupt major projects in WA worth more than $50 billion. Click for our updated list of major projects.

The state government has cracked down on councils obstructing the around-the-clock delivery of goods to supermarkets, as concerns mount about supply chain disruptions.

Shortages on Perth supermarket shelves could last until late March, although the reconnection of the state’s rail link with the east is now expected next week.

Business groups are calling for a more holistic response across all tiers of government to infrastructure and supply chain pressures.

Perth shoppers may continue to see product shortages for weeks, after flooding knocked out a major rail link for the second time this year.

Businesses are being urged to stock up inventories as the prospect of more freight disruptions looms over WA coming into the wet season up north and fire season down south.

Myriad issues are crippling WA's road freight network. It is leaving truckies with hefty damage bills, towns with no produce and governments with huge headaches.

Local government truck movements and port terminal operations need to be standardised to improve supply chain resilience, according to the boss of a WA freight-forwarding company.

Curfews imposed by local governments are among the constraints affecting freight productivity by as much as 20 per cent, according to WA’s peak trucking lobby.

Western Australia is on the cusp of being cut off from the rest of the nation again due to flooding in northern, southern and central parts of the state.

Australia’s interstate rail is now expected to be out of action until at least late next week, heaping more pressure on WA’s logistics network.

WA’s best steak sandwich has been temporarily removed from the menu because flooding has led to a shortage of Turkish bread at the nation’s major supermarkets.