- Proposal for extra fees for certain drivers
- Owners of ‘truckzillas’ pressured to pay more
Australian motorists are facing calls to pay more in fees in their day-to-day lives if they choose to drive American-style pickup trucks.
Monash University transport commentator Julian O’Shea argued Australia should follow France and make drivers ‘pay their fair way’.
Heavyweight SUVs and utes, also known as ‘truckzillas’, have surged in popularity in recent years, not only in regional communities but also in metropolitan areas.
Sales almost tripled between 2020 and 2024.
Their size takes up multiple parking bays and turn suburban streets into obstacle courses for other motorists, dividing drivers over whether the vehicles should be allowed in urban areas.
Two years ago, Paris introduced triple parking fees for SUVs, where drivers now pay three times more than those with smaller vehicles.
‘Oversized vehicles cause additional damage to roads and also take up limited amount of space in Australia’s cities,’ Mr O’Shea told Daily Mail.
‘Other parts of the world charge higher fees for large vehicles in things like registration and parking and this is an approach worth considering.’
He urged cities to consider higher parking charges based on vehicle size or weight, and to avoid redesigning infrastructure to suit larger vehicles.
‘The goal of cities and urban design is to make livable spaces that people want to spend time in, so, moves to promote more active and sustainable forms of transport are worthwhile.’ Mr O’Shea added.
‘There’s a real cost if things like additional parking spaces or oversized parking spaces is that this takes up incredibly valuable urban space and drives up the cost of things like housing and commerce.’
Mr O’Shea had this advice for Aussies who own or are looking to buy a truckzilla.
‘I’d recommend that they look into the dangers for people, including kids and family members they know,’ he said
‘Essentially, kids are eight times more likely to die if they get hit by one of these than a normal vehicle.
‘Smaller, more efficient vehicles are better for the planet and better for your wallet.
Despite many vehicles selling for six figures, they are exempt from the luxury car tax in Australia because they are designated as commercial vehicles for carrying goods rather than passengers.
The Greens previously called on Labor to increase registration and parking fees on truckzillas.
‘It’s an undeniable fact that super-sized vehicles are dangerous,’ one-time federal candidate Samantha Ratnam told the Victorian government in 2024.
‘They have blind spots up to four metres in front of the vehicle.
‘And it is no coincidence that a child is eight times more likely to die being hit by a larger utility vehicle when compared to a lighter car.
‘Not to mention the astonishing amount of pollution caused by these beasts.
‘If we want to lower our transport emissions and reduce road fatalities, we need to see less of these monster cars on our streets.’
Caravan Industry of Australia’s Luke Chippindale believes American-style utes do have their place.
‘We don’t necessarily see them being used as much for recreational vehicles,’ he told the ABC.
‘They are predominantly used for commercial vehicles, and the number of them on the roads is still fairly low.’
Aussies drivers regularly complain about the large vehicles, with no shortage of photos exposing their domineering inconvenience.
A GMC Sierra was snapped overlapping lanes, and the reaction from Aussies was blistering.
‘Dude can’t even stay within one lane and blows soot into any car behind him when taking off at the lights,’ one said.
‘Imagine also trying to park at a shopping centre car park,’ another said.
‘The way they mark out the parking spaces is challenging enough in the majority of centres, even with a family vehicle, without someone accidentally denting your car by opening their doors.’
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