The Australasian Rail Assocation (ARA) has awarded a new five-year contract to Metro Trains Australia (MTA) for the delivery of its national competency system, the Rail Industry Worker Program (RIW).
The RIW Program enables the management of rail worker skills across Australia, providing a single online platform accessible to workers across different state networks.
The program is owned and endorsed by the ARA on behalf of ARA Members and RIW participants.
ARA CEO, Danny Broad, said that MTA and its partners would now become the new service provider of the program following a competitive tender process.
“The RIW Program has grown considerably since it started, both in terms of participation and the breadth of requirements for participants,” Broad said.
“The RIW Program will continue to support organisations in meeting legal and regulatory obligations, as well as maximising safety.”
The system will use the latest smartcard technology and a secure database compatible with multiple platforms, including smartphones and real-time business intelligence reporting.
MTA’s acting managing director, Leah Waymark, said that the RIW Program played a key role in enabling national rail safety by offering a seamless system for workers to manage their competencies online.
“The competency management system is world class and our technology partner, Reference Point Limited, is the proven force behind the systems which keep rail, road and other key industry and infrastructure workers safe right across the UK,” Waymark said.
“The RIW solution will be Australian based and supported by multiple Australian companies to deliver locally where possible.”
Information sessions on the RIW Program will be held prior to the system going live on 30 March 2019.