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It is with mixed emotions that I write this welcome, formally announcing my planned career retirement and departure from ADTA.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with ADTA, and continue to admire the work of Board, members and staff. I want to thank all for the warm initial welcome in early 2024, and for the ongoing encouragement along the way. I am pleased that our combined efforts led to the following personal highlights:

• continuing annual growth in ADTA membership
• our ongoing professional delivery of the Safer Drivers Course in NSW (with great news this week that ADTA has signed an Agreement for a new 3 year term starting 1 November 2026, see more below!)
• the reintroduction of our Annual Conferences
• the 2026 launch of our Professional Development online seminar series
• a closer collaboration each year with all stakeholders in National Road Safety Week, and
• the long term working relationship with our insurance brokers that provides the best driver trainer PI/PL cover available. That solid foundation has now seen the launch of a member exclusive commercial motor facility offering cover for vehicles and motorcycles.

On the personal side of my retirement decision, my first staff position in an industry Association was in 1985, and it has been a privilege to have worked across 6 broad industry and member Associations over the decades since. This decision allows me to complete my professional obligations to ADTA  and then to make family and personal interests the sole focus.

On the business side of my retirement, I provided extended notice to the ADTA Board in July, and a positive recruitment plan was implemented by the Board. The role of GM was publicly advertised and received an overwhelming response from applicants. The applications were screened and formal interviews of candidates conducted.

I can now announce on behalf of the Board that Sarah Hope has accepted the role and will be the new ADTA General Manager.

Sarah will commence in the week of Monday 12 October 2026 and will be attending both our Big Day Out Heavy Vehicle Event, Thursday 15th October and ADTA Main Event Conference, Friday 16th October. This is a fantastic opportunity for members to meet Sarah and give her a warm ADTA welcome as she steps into the role.

We look forward to more formally introducing Sarah in the October 2026 issue of DriveSmart.

I will continue to work with the Board and Sarah on the formal handover of the GM position, with current expectations that I will finish my role with ADTA around the end of November 2026.

2026 AGM

Members have received by email the formal  Annual General Meeting Notice 2026. The Notice was sent Thursday 24 September 2026.

The 2026 AGM will be held on Friday 16th October 2026 at 1:45pm, coinciding with our Annual Conference at Elysium Hotel, Manly, NSW.

The Business of the AGM and all attachments are contained in the formal Notice.

Following the call for Nominations for the ADTA Board, Nominations were received form Heath Ward, Glen Till, Noel Lawson and Denis Gracie as retiring ADTA directors  and from Selena Conway as a new Nominee. As there are 5 available elected director positions at the 2026 AGM, the AGM Notice proposes to declare the 5 nominations elected.

Dion Changuion, Peter Hill and Mick Humphries are continuing ADTA directors, having been elected at the 2025 AGM.

Now 3 Weeks to Go!

The countdown is officially on! Just 3 weeks to go until two of our biggest industry events of the year, and we’d love to see you there.

Big Day Out – Heavy Vehicle Event

📅Thursday 15th October

📍Rydges Parramatta, NSW

💰Members are free (registration required)

A day dedicated to the heavy vehicle industry, with opportunities to connect with fellow trainers, learn from industry experts and stay up to date with what’s happening across the NSW sector.

Buy Heavy Vehicle tickets here. 

ADTA Main Conference Event

📅 Friday, 16th October 2026
📍 Elysium Manly, NSW

💰Members tickets $149.00 (Early bird)

Our main conference is shaping up to be a fantastic day of connection, inspiration, professional development and networking. With an exciting line-up of speakers and topics, it’s a great opportunity to step away from the day-to-day and invest in yourself and your business.

Buy Main Event tickets here. 

And don’t forget.. Early bird pricing is only available for ONE MORE WEEK ONLY! ⏰

If you’ve been thinking about attending, now is the time to secure your ticket and take advantage of the discounted early bird rate.

Save the dates, grab your ticket and get ready for two great days with the ADTA community!

For more information and speaker lineups here and see what’s in store for this year’s event.

NSW Safer Drivers Course Update

Our team is beyond excited to announce that we have officially been awarded a new contract to continue delivering the NSW Safer Drivers Course!

We’re incredibly proud of the strong partnership we’ve built and maintained with Government, Road Safety, our wonderful Facilitators and Coaches, and everyone who continues to support the program.

This new contract is a fantastic opportunity to continue making a positive difference to young drivers across NSW and to build on the work we’ve achieved together over the last 10 years. The new contract commences 1 November 2026, and we will continue under the existing arrangements until then.

As we announced in our last newsletter, Nicole Thompson has recently taken over the role of Safer Drivers Course Coordinator. Nicole is excited to step into the role and is looking forward to growing our brand and expanding the reach of the Safer Drivers Course for ADTA across NSW.

We’re excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait to continue this journey with our incredible team of Facilitators and Coaches! 🚗🎉

NSW Regulatory Update

Display misconduct reporting information

Licensed driving instructors are now required to display information in their training vehicle advising customers how to report driving instructor misconduct to Transport for NSW (Transport). 

This requirement was introduced under the Driving Instructors Regulation 2026. 

To comply with this requirement, you must display the information in a form approved by Transport in a location that is clearly visible to learners while they are receiving driving instruction.

Approved signage can be downloaded from the Transport website where you can view the signage display requirements. The sign can be printed as A5 or A4 and displayed with the following requirements.

Download document here.

Display requirements

• Must be clearly visible to the learner while receiving driving instruction. For multi-learner instruction, any sign displayed for a learner seated in the back seat must be used in addition to signage visible to the learner seated in the front passenger seat. Examples of acceptable locations:
• On the passenger side dashboard.
• On the glovebox facing the learner.
• On the centre console facing the learner.
• On the back of the front passenger seat so it is visible to a learner seated in the rear passenger-side seat during multi-learner instruction.
• On the passenger-side rear window during multi-learner instruction.
• Must not be obscured by other items or vehicle fittings.

If you operate a driving school or maintain a website for your driving instructor business, you are also required to publish the following statement on your website:

“To report misconduct by a driving instructor, call Transport for NSW on 131 500.”

This is applicable to all driving instructors including Older Driver Assessors and NSW Safer Drivers Course Coaches. 

The only time you would be exempt from displaying the information is if you are conducting lessons or assessing in the student’s vehicle.

Failure to comply with this requirement may result in enforcement action under the Regulation.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or call 1800 642 452.

Victorian RIS

Heavy Vehicle Driver Safety Reform

Victoria is updating its licensing system for heavy vehicle drivers to raise driver standards and improve road safety for everyone.   

The proposed reforms align with the changes to the National Heavy Vehicle Driver Competency Framework (NHVDCF) that have been agreed to in-principle at a national level. These changes aim to strengthen driver training, assessment, and eligibility criteria when obtaining a heavy vehicle licence.   
  
This work follows reviews across Australia and Victoria. Different options were assessed based on cost, benefits, and how well they suit Victoria’s needs.    

To make these changes happen, the Department of Transport and Planning is proposing changes to the current framework, explained in the Victorian Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS). 
 

We encourage Victorian heavy vehicle members to provide feedback on the Regulatory Impact Statement and the three implementation options proposed as part of the reform.    

Click here to view the Regulatory Impact Statement 

Click here to complete the Victorian RIS Survey

Click here to upload a written submission

This email was intended for Hayley Ferreira: [email protected] • Unsubscribe