Online Course for COVID-19 Awareness Proves To Be Attractive For Truckers

Across Australia thousands of truck drivers have registered their interest online to an COVID-19 awareness course that will hopefully make a large impact on the essential workers across the country.  

First launched in April 2020 thanks to a collaboration between the Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) and DRVR Training, the Covid-19 course has provided online training to thousands of truck and courier drivers. 

The course has since been updated to reflect the changes in safety protocols as more information about Covid-19 has become available.

The updated Covid-19 Awareness course is now provided under a wider program of online courses, as a part of the QTA’s Road Freight Resilience Program, funded under a micro-credentialing initiative, by the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training Micro-credentialing Pilot Program.

The course is available free to all truck and delivery drivers and provides information on best-practice hygiene during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The content is popular for industry because it only takes 30 minutes to complete and offers practical steps to consider when carrying out daily tasks, from refuelling to face-to-face goods delivery. 

Many businesses and operators are using the course as part of their driver induction and onboarding process.

There are 24 units to complete under the broad topics of Covid-19 What You Need To Know, Sanitising Your Vehicle, Your Trip and Hygiene.

QTA CEO Gary Mahon said the high enrolments in the Covid-19 course demonstrates how the transport industry is leading the way to support safe work practices while still maintaining delivery schedules.

“The QTA is committed to providing accurate and timely advice during Covid, and we know first-hand there is often confusion about border procedures and testing requirements,” he said.

“We have a Covid-19 Information Hub on the QTA website, where there are a range of resources available to help drivers and transport operators navigate the varying travel restrictions and ways to keep our workforce safe. 

“Here you can find links to Covid-19 Awareness course and downloadable safety guides for Cabin Cleaning and Truck Stops,” he added. 

With the spotlight being on the way forward out of the pandemic, Mahon says he’s also asking for industry’s feedback in particular on issues such as employee vaccination, vaccination availability, testing result wait times, preferences for either vaccination or testing options.

“We always endeavour to professionally advocate our member’s views, and it is important to us that we understand any of the issues being experienced in businesses,” he said.

“Currently mandatory vaccinations to cross borders are being considered by the government. 

“While the QTA strongly supports vaccination uptake for those who are eligible to receive them, we are not endorsing mandatory vaccinations for our industry. 

“If the government were to mandate vaccination to cross the border, our position is that the transport industry would need to at least have an implementation date to December 31, 2021 to allow freight workers time to arrange their first vaccination injection and complete the required wait time to be fully vaccinated,” Mahon added.

However, the QTA preferred approach is that ‘F’ pass requirements include either (a) a covid negative test result within the last seven days, supplemented by rapid antigen testing if necessary; or (b) be fully vaccinated.

If you would like to learn more about the course head on over to the Australian Department of Health website. Also, if you would like to read the full article feel free to go to the Big Rigs news website.