Latest news

Road access will be the centrepiece in a series of forums to be rolled out across six regional councils for the South Australia grain transport industry from October this year.

NHVR Industry and Stakeholder Manager John Gilbert said the forums would assist regional councils to streamline route assessments for their freight task, and in particular the upcoming grain harvest next month.

The 5000th heavy vehicle permit application has been submitted to the NHVR’s Customer Portal.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the Customer Portal has become the permit application customer platform of choice since its release.

“In just under three months the Portal has become the preferred option for 95 per cent of all NHVR heavy vehicle permit applications,” Mr Petroccitto said.

The NHVR’s first Technical Working Group meeting will provide input into the delivery of improvements to coupling safety.

NHVR Director Safety Daniel Elkins told today’s Technical Maintenance Conference in Melbourne that the Regulator would examine a range of safety issues, including tyre inflation, brake systems and the on-going work around coupling safety.

“We recognise that technology has a growing role in heavy vehicle safety and the Technical Working Group will assist the NHVR to accelerate deployment of safety technologies and systems,” Mr Elkins said.

Businesses involved in the heavy vehicle supply chain have only one more week left before the NHVR’s Chain of Responsibility online Survey closes on October 31.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the 10-week Survey results would assist the NHVR design information and education packages to ensure greater awareness and safety across the heavy vehicle supply chain.

“The Survey, aimed at the heavy vehicle industry and greater supply chain, only takes around 15 minutes to complete so please make sure you have your say before it closes,” Mr Petroccitto said.

Approvals for high-performance heavy vehicles reached new heights during July-to-September, according to the latest quarterly data released by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the Quarterly Snapshot Q1 2016-17 results for the Performance Based Standards (PBS) scheme showed 450 new combinations approved, an 80 per cent increase on the same period in 2015.

“PBS vehicles deliver higher productivity and safety through innovative vehicle design, meaning less trucks and safer vehicles,” Mr Petroccitto said.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto thanked outgoing CEO Chris Melham for his significant contribution to the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and the heavy vehicle industry.

“As a member of the NHVR’s Industry Reference Forum, Chris made a substantial contribution to the heavy vehicle industry and the advocacy he provided for his members has been invaluable,” Mr Petroccitto said.

The NHVR and Road and Maritime Services will extend the current brake testing transition arrangements in NSW until January 31, 2017.

NHVR Director Safety Daniel Elkins welcomed Roads and Maritime’s commitment to achieving national consistency in vehicle standards through the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual.

“Together with Roads and Maritime and industry we have listened to operator concerns with the current roller brake test procedures and agreed to undertake further work to determine the best approach for testing,” Mr Elkins said.

The NHVR’s new online Customer Portal will be the main avenue for heavy vehicle operators to apply for national access permits from today.

AccessCONNECT Program Director David Carlisle said the effective roll out of the Portal had seen 2200 vehicle configurations created in the first two months.

“The Portal is saving more than 1400 businesses valuable time and money through a more efficient application process,” Mr Carlisle said.

After a successful staged roll out, the NHVR’s new online Customer Portal will become the main platform for heavy vehicle access permits from September 30.

AccessCONNECT Program Director David Carlisle said there has been an average of 70 per cent of access permit applications received per week through the online Portal as more customers embrace the new system.

Understanding the health of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet is a step closer with more than three-quarters of the National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey completed.

NHVR Executive Director for Productivity and Safety Geoff Casey told today’s Australasian Road Safety Conference that survey inspections had been completed in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania with inspections due to commence in Western Australia and the Northern Territory shortly.

Almost 300 national heavy vehicle permit applications a week are being delivered by the NHVR’s new digital platform, just five weeks after going live.

AccessCONNECT Executive Director David Carlisle said the staged rollout of the system was proving successful, delivering almost half of all permit applications processed by the NHVR.

“Online form validation alone has saved industry 729 days and improved productivity by ensuring an application is completed correctly before it is submitted,” Mr Carlisle said.

More than 50 local government representatives from across Queensland and NSW will today identify further local access improvements for heavy vehicles at a forum hosted by the NHVR.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said its inaugural Local Government Heavy Vehicle Access Forum was part of the on-going consultation with councils to provide assistance and guidance in handling the increasing freight task on their local network.

The NHVR will establish a high level technical forum to deliver safety outcomes for Australia’s heavy vehicle industry.

CEO Sal Petroccitto told today’s Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia meeting in Perth that the new group would deliver on key items outlined in the Regulator’s Setting the Agenda released last week.

“Technology plays a vital role in vehicle safety and advances in safety systems need to be managed at the operational as well as regulatory level,” Mr Petroccitto said.

The NHVR today released its five-year blueprint for a safer, productive and more compliant heavy vehicle industry.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester told today’s National Road Transport Association conference in Cairns that the NHVR’s Setting the Agenda document would link three key strategies to continue the reform of the heavy vehicle industry.

“This plan focuses on the three national strategies for Safety, Compliance and Assurance, and Productivity to guide Australia’s regulatory heavy vehicle agenda between now and 2020,” Mr Chester said.

The NHVR today launched a national supply chain survey ahead of an education campaign about Chain of Responsibility requirements.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto told the Australian Logistics Council's Annual Conference that the online survey will run from September until early October and will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

"The survey is aimed at both the heavy vehicle industry and the supply chain throughout Australia," Mr Petroccitto said.

More than 10 heavy vehicle operators today participated in a demonstration day with six regional Queensland councils to build awareness and a greater understanding of the benefits of the Performance Based Standards (PBS) Scheme.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the heavy vehicle industry took the opportunity to meet with council representatives at a demonstration day for high productivity heavy vehicles hosted by the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Organisation of Councils.

The opportunities for local governments to manage their heavy vehicle movements are showcased by the Blacktown City Council in Local government in focus, the latest access video released by the NHVR.

Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet will undergo its first national health check when a two-month survey begins today.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey would be the first time the same inspection would be undertaken at the same time to the same standard nationally.

“For the first time we’ll have a single approach and set of rules for inspecting and assessing the safety condition of heavy vehicles,” Mr Chester said.

The largest ever national survey of the heavy vehicle fleet was officially launched today at Australia's Heavy Vehicle Engineering Conference (ComVec) in Melbourne.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey, which would begin on August 1, would allow the NHVR to properly understand the health and roadworthiness of Australia's 520,000-strong heavy vehicles.

"We are encouraging operators to be aware of the survey when scheduling to allow appropriate time for inspections," Mr Petroccitto said.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) congratulates re-appointed Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Darren Chester.

NHVR Chair Bruce Baird said Mr Chester has been a strong advocate for the heavy vehicle industry and the on-going reforms being undertaken by the NHVR.

"I look forward to continuing to work with Mr Chester on road safety initiatives and policies that build a stronger heavy vehicle industry," Mr Baird said.

The NHVR has applauded efforts by state road managers to significantly improve the turn-around time for heavy vehicle class 1, 2 and 3 permit applications.

The NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto welcomed the work which has been undertaken with the heavy vehicle industry to process heavy vehicle permits to access roads and significantly improve certainty for the operators across eastern and southern states.