On the Road

The NHVR has filed charges against a national transport company and its executive, following a nine-month investigation into the company’s business practices.

The NHVR initiated the investigation following multiple vehicle collisions and Safe-T-Cam footage that identified breaches relating to the transport company.

Records for 15 drivers were analysed by NHVR Investigators revealing 225 fatigue and work diary breaches by the company.

The NHVR’s Performance Based Standards (PBS) scheme is a key pillar to delivering safe and efficient movement of freight across the country. We are committed to its ongoing success and ensuring it continues to deliver safety and productivity benefits for the heavy vehicle industry.

We are currently experiencing some operational challenges due to the significant increase in application volumes and departure of senior PBS team members. This has impacted our ability to assess and process applications within acceptable timeframes.

The NHVR’s Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP) will fund more than 200 engineering assessments under Round 1.

NHVR Freight and Supply Chain Productivity Executive Director Peter Caprioli said the 232 assessments covered assets owned by 69 local governments.

The owner of a South Australian transport company has been prosecuted by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) for possessing speed limiter tampering equipment.

South Australia Police (SAPOL) Heavy Vehicle Investigation Section conducted an investigation at the company’s Mid-North premises in August 2020 and located a laptop installed with tampering software, as well as connecting plugs.

The NHVR is partnering with the Queensland peak body for public works engineers to help deliver the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP).

The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia Queensland (IPWEAQ) is providing invaluable support to the project, including helping to develop the Asset Assessment Framework.

SLGAAP is a Commonwealth-funded initiative to help local councils undertake heavy vehicle assessments on their own on-road assets, such as bridges and culverts.

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There is a significant amount of roads closed across southern and eastern Australia due to heavy rainfall and flooding. The NHVR is urging all heavy vehicle operators to take steps to ensure safe travel when operating in and around areas affected by heavy rainfall and flooding.

Where possible operators should avoid travelling in impacted zones, however if required be aware of local emergency access arrangements.

Heavy vehicle access across flood-affected areas

Heavy vehicle operators should take the following steps when accessing flood-affected areas.

A safety blunder detected by NHVR officers in Victoria has become a social media sensation.

More than two million people have viewed the NHVR’s Facebook post on the inadequate load restraint that was used to transport an excavator weighing more than 20 tonnes.

The excavator had been ‘secured’ by just four straps, when it should have been directly chained to the trailer.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has charged a South Australian company with a primary duty offence for allegedly remapping the engines of heavy vehicles.

The charges stem from a South Australia Police operation in June 2020.

The NHVR will argue that the checks conducted during the operation indicate the vehicle was not using Adblue, suggesting its emissions control system had been tampered with. Examinations were conducted on other heavy vehicles registered to the company which form the basis of additional charges.

The NHVR has begun extensive testing on a range of tyres used on Performance Based Standards combinations following recommendations by road safety expert Dr John de Pont in his Review of Tyre Management Practices in the Australian PBS System.

NHVR Chief Engineer Les Bruzsa said the NHVR was working with the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) to undertake tyre testing needed to progress Dr de Pont’s findings.

To coincide with the upcoming launch of their new truck driver health program, the OzHelp Foundation (OzHelp) has published a paper which draws on national and international research findings into the poor health outcomes of heavy vehicle drivers.

OzHelp – a national suicide prevention organisation – has been funded through the Commonwealth Government’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to develop a health and wellbeing program for owner driver truck drivers.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has opened consultation on the implementation of amendments to the PBS Directional Stability Under Braking (DSUB) Standard.

NHVR Chief Engineer Les Bruzsa said the amendments would increase the requirement for newly built or newly approved PBS vehicle units to be fitted with the latest safety technologies and remove the option for Load Proportioning Brake Systems from the deemed to comply provision.

The Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP) received almost 1000 nominations for bridge and culvert assessments, when Round 1 closed last month.

SLGAAP Project Manager, Todd Wellard said that the response from almost 100 local government road managers demonstrated a strong interest to improve access for heavy vehicles across Australia.

“It’s great to have received nominations from so many state and territory road managers across, and we look forward to working with councils to open up network access in their local areas,” Todd said.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has recently been recognised for our innovation on the national stage with the NHVR Solutions team winning the Digital Transformation category in the Australian Business Awards.

The award highlights the digital transformation delivered through the NHVR Portal, as well as our customer-centred approach using the AgileSwift product management methodology.

Wine producers, wine grape grower and transporter of grapes and bottled wine are required to comply with the Chain of Responsibility requirements under the Heavy Vehicle National Law. This includes ensuring that goods are not overloaded, that they are secured properly and that drivers are not encouraged or pressured to speed or drive while fatigued. 

A major joint operation between the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and South Australia Police (SAPOL) with a focus on heavy vehicle safety has concluded.

NHVR Director Southern Region Paul Simionato said Operation Crossroads 2020 was a local operation with a national impact – focusing on the “crossroads” of Australia.

“The four-day joint operation ran between 9 October and 12 October, with a primary focus of monitoring the safety and compliance of heavy vehicles travelling on the Augusta Highway,” Mr Simionato said.

The NHVR is investing significantly in a number of important projects that put mental health front and centre in our conversations, through the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI).

One of the most exciting recent developments is the establishment of the Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds initiative (HTTS), which the NHVR are supporting through a $600,000 grant from the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI).

A national project that aims to make better use of local freight routes is underway, with Toowoomba one of the first communities to benefit.

Visiting Toowoomba last week, NHVR Chief Regulatory Policy and Standards Officer Don Hogben said the Strategic Local Government Assessment Project (SLGAAP) was examining bridges and culverts across the country.

“This project is about working with local governments and industry to identify bridges and culverts that need engineering assessments to improve access for heavy vehicles,” Mr Hogben said.

Queensland trucking company has been fined $60,000 after pleading guilty to two charges of breaching their primary duty of ensuring safety under the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

NHVR Executive Director Statutory Compliance Ray Hassall said the fine was issued following an investigation and prosecution by Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads.

The depot manager of a Western Australian transport company was convicted in South Australia under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) for critical breaches of fatigue regulations. 

NHVR Executive Director Statutory Compliance Ray Hassall said an investigation was launched after drivers from the company were intercepted by NHVR Safety and Compliance Officers near Ceduna, South Australia. 

From 11:59pm 5 August, workers in permitted industries must carry a Worker Permit issued and signed by their employer while within the Melbourne area. This includes the freight industry.

The form requires details of essential work activity on a rolling 7 day schedule. All requirements of fatigue regulations still apply. Drivers must not drive while impaired by fatigue and must continue to comply with work and rest requirements.