Media release

The NHVR will release a Discussion Paper as part of a broader Fatigue Safety Strategy to support a push by many in the heavy vehicle industry to reform fatigue laws.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto told the Victorian Transport Association (VTA) Annual Conference today, that many operators were keen to make fatigue reform a major focus of the current review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

Operators can save up to 15 minutes per vehicle with access to real time registration information through the NHVR Portal – Registration Module and meet industry requests for additional Chain of Responsibility support.

NHVR Program Manager Tammy Wigg said new portal functions would allow businesses across the supply chain access to real time fleet information, including a vehicle’s current registration status and configuration.

Improved data and a national classification system are two of the options being explored in an independent discussion paper into the performance of tyres used on the Performance Based Standards (PBS) fleet.

NHVR Chief Engineer Les Bruzsa today released the Review of Tyre Management Practices in the Australian PBS System by road safety expert John de Pont for industry feedback.

“With almost one-in-five new heavy vehicles approved under the PBS scheme, we want to take a best-practice approach to the management of tyres on the PBS fleet,” Mr Bruzsa said.

A consortium including Central Queensland University’s Appleton Institute and HGH Consulting has been awarded an NHVR contract to conduct a study of fatigue monitoring technology.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto told today’s Australian Logistics Council Forum 2019 that the trial would identify how best to provide recognition and support to the growing number of businesses using fatigue monitoring technology in addition to work diaries.

Local councils are urged to get on board with a shake-up for the movement of agricultural machinery across the road network, which will be a game-changer for the nation's farm businesses.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is seeking agreement from councils and road managers on the new draft National Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle and Combination Notice.

Complaints about fatigue are the most common calls to the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the reporting line, which has been live since July last year, was answering around 115 calls a month, and responding to over 65 reports of non-compliance nationwide every month.

“The Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line enables drivers and parties in the heavy vehicle supply chain to pass on information about possible breaches of the Heavy Vehicle National Law,” Mr Petroccitto said.

The NHVR has urged operators travelling west to be aware of different accreditation requirements, following a three-day operation on the SA-WA border.

NHVR Operations Manager Paul Simionato said that the multi-agency Operation Long Run, led by WA Main Roads, found 91 per cent compliance with the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

“Overall the results showed that safety was a priority in the industry with only 43 offences out of 481 units across 177 heavy vehicles detected with safety-related issues,” Mr Simionato said.

The NHVR will address inconsistency for livestock and grain harvest management schemes as part of the next round of heavy vehicle industry harmonisation projects.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto told today’s Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers NSW Annual Conference that work on bringing national standards for both industries would begin later this year.

The NHVR has launched an investigation into a spate of recent truck fires.

NHVR’s Safety Standard and Assurance Executive Director Geoff Casey said concerns had been raised with the NHVR regarding several fires emanating in the engine bay of prime movers over the past year.

“There have been a number of high profile incidents recently, including a semi-trailer fire on the Princess Highway, near Wollongong in January,” Mr Casey said.

“Several other incidents have been reported through various sources as well as from Police and state transport agencies.

Melinda Pavey, NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight

Cutting red tape will enable more access to the road network for the crane industry following the decision to improve access for mobile cranes.

Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, Melinda Pavey said the NSW Government has been working with industry to improve access for mobile cranes and deliver increased efficiency for the construction sector, while maintaining road safety and minimising travel time impacts to the broader community.

The NHVR has introduced a new modification code to fit non-standard rear wheel components on heavy vehicles as part of the latest updated to Vehicle Standards Bulletin 6 (VSB6).

The NHVR’s Manager Vehicle Safety and Performance Peter Austin said the update followed extensive consultation conducted during 2018.

A Flood Recovery Road Access Group (FRRAG) has been established by Transport and Main Roads and Queensland Police to manage emergency and disaster heavy vehicle access under the provision of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

A dedicated hotline and email address is operating to provide help, information and emergency access to freight consignors and heavy vehicle transport operators travelling in the affected areas.

B-double operators can take advantage of a new national notice and network, starting today.

NHVR Freight and Supply Chain Productivity Executive Director Peter Caprioli said the National Class 2 Heavy Vehicle B-double Notice would align B-double requirements across states and territories, including general access for 50-tonne, 19-metre vehicles.

“The Notice is particularly important for the transport of fuel as it has reduced the number of conditions imposed by jurisdictions and creates a national B-double network,” he said.

Modernised heavy vehicle access  – backed by the Federal Liberal and Nationals Government, to slash agricultural industry red tape and boost business efficiencies – are a significant step closer to reality.

This positive advancement will simplify and enhance the farm sector’s business operations and comes after policy agreement was reached recently between the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and participating States and Territories.

The concrete agitator Alternative Rest Trial is complete. The results have been analysed and the work and rest hours exemption notice is set to continue from 1 January 2019.

An assessment by the NHVR and Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia found no increase in fatigue related incidents during the trial.

The exemption allows a driver of a concrete agitator to take a short work break which is counted towards their rest when the vehicle is stationary, the engine is running and the driver is doing no work other than sitting in the driver’s seat.

The Queensland Trucking Association (QTA Ltd) and Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL) today commenced a 12-month pilot of the new ‘SmartCap’ technology as part of its two-year Heavy Vehicle Safety Around Ports project.

SmartCap is a wearable technology that measures fatigue. Specifically, it is a headband mounted into a cap that measures changes in a person’s electroencephalogram (EEG – measures electrical activity in the brain) and provides accurate measurements of alertness in real-time to operators and drivers.