The National Transport Commission has recommended a 4.2% increase in heavy vehicle charges. Using the current annual adjustment formula, charges could have increased by 9.7%, but this was adjusted to amount to an over recovery of costs because of the substantial growth in B-doubles. A 9.7% increase would have seen the transport industry being overcharged by $160 million in the next tax year.
However, owners of B-doubles will be looking at a considerably higher increase in vehicle charges. 2010 is the third year of the ‘catch up’ adjustment in payments. These extra payments were agreed three years ago as the calculations were adjusted to compensate for the high numbers of B-doubles doing high mileage on the highway.
B-doubles will be facing an increase in charges of over 25% when the two increases are combined.
