Product Overview

Summary: This SOP provides a clear, step-by-step framework for implementing and managing Electronic Work Diaries (EWDs) in line with Australian Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) fatigue management requirements. It helps transport businesses transition from paper-based records to compliant digital systems, reducing admin burden while strengthening chain of responsibility and audit readiness.

Electronic Work Diaries are rapidly becoming the standard for managing driver work and rest hours across Australia’s heavy vehicle industry. Done well, they reduce paperwork, improve data accuracy, and give real-time visibility of fatigue risk. Done poorly, they expose businesses to breaches of Heavy Vehicle National Law, non-compliance with NHVR requirements, and potential chain of responsibility prosecutions. This Standard Operating Procedure sets out a practical, repeatable method for using EWDs correctly every day, across your entire fleet.

The document guides you through how drivers, allocators, supervisors and compliance staff must use and monitor EWDs, from onboarding and training through to daily use, exception handling, audits and record-keeping. It clarifies who does what, how to respond to alerts and potential breaches, and how to integrate EWD data into your fatigue management and WHS systems. By implementing this SOP, your business can confidently demonstrate due diligence, reduce the risk of fatigue-related incidents, and streamline compliance with HVNL and NHVR-approved EWD conditions.

Designed specifically for the Australian transport environment, this SOP acknowledges the realities of long-distance operations, remote work, changing schedules and mixed fleets. It helps you standardise processes across different depots and drivers, ensuring that everyone follows the same rules for log-on, log-off, work/rest status changes, manual entries, system outages and data corrections. The result is a robust, defensible process that stands up to regulator scrutiny while supporting safer, more efficient operations.

Key Benefits

• Ensure consistent, legally defensible use of Electronic Work Diaries across all drivers and depots.
• Reduce the risk of fatigue-related non-compliance and associated penalties under Heavy Vehicle National Law.
• Streamline record-keeping by replacing ad hoc paper systems with a structured, digital process.
• Improve visibility of driver work and rest patterns for proactive fatigue and route management.
• Demonstrate strong chain of responsibility and due diligence to regulators, clients and insurers.

Who is this for?

• Transport Operations Managers
• Fleet Managers
• Compliance Managers
• NHVR Compliance Officers (internal)
• Heavy Vehicle Drivers
• Dispatch and Allocations Coordinators
• WHS and Risk Managers
• Owner-Drivers and Small Fleet Owners
• Training and Induction Coordinators
• Business Owners in Road Transport and Logistics

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations (EWD, HVNL, NHVR, CoR, Standard Hours, BFM, AFM)
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (Drivers, Allocations, Supervisors, Compliance, Management)
• 4.0 EWD System Requirements and Approved Devices
• 5.0 Driver Onboarding, Training and Competency Requirements
• 6.0 Pre-Trip EWD Checks and Log-On Procedure
• 7.0 Recording Work, Rest and Other Activities in the EWD
• 8.0 Managing EWD Alerts, Warnings and Potential Breaches
• 9.0 Manual Entries, Corrections and Retrospective Adjustments
• 10.0 Procedures for System Outages, Device Failure and Loss of Connectivity
• 11.0 Integration with Rostering, Scheduling and Allocations
• 12.0 Monitoring, Reporting and Internal Audit of EWD Data
• 13.0 Chain of Responsibility and Escalation Processes
• 14.0 Privacy, Data Security and Record Retention Requirements
• 15.0 Non-Compliance, Incident Response and Corrective Actions
• 16.0 Interface with Fatigue Management and WHS Procedures
• 17.0 Training, Communication and Change Management
• 18.0 Document Control, Review and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) as applied in participating states and territories
• NHVR – Electronic Work Diary (EWD) Policy Framework and Business Rules
• NHVR – Registered and Accredited EWD System Requirements
• NHVR – Fatigue Management (Standard Hours and BFM/AFM) requirements
• Chain of Responsibility provisions under HVNL – Primary Duty obligations
• Safe Work Australia – Guide for Managing the Risk of Fatigue at Work
• AS ISO 39001: Road traffic safety (RTS) management systems (guidance for best practice)
• AS ISO 19600 / ISO 37301: Compliance management systems (as applicable to transport compliance)