Latest news

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has partnered with AFAC, the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services, to deliver a fatigue exemption notice enabling emergency service agencies to manage vehicle operations more effectively while preparing for emergencies.

There are only four weeks left for the heavy vehicle industry to apply for crucial project funding through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI).

The Australian Government will provide approximately $4 million towards Round 8 of the HVSI, to support tangible, implementable industry-led heavy vehicle safety projects that address an existing issue for the transport and logistics sector and all road users.

Submissions close at 5pm AEST Monday 20 February 2023.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is urging operators to check their brakes after recent intercepts in the Blue Mountains region found that 5.2 per cent of heavy vehicles inspected had a brake defect, 14 per cent of which were major.

NHVR Director of Operations Central Region Brett Patterson said that the results of these intercepts, which took place at the Mount Boyce Safety Station late last year, were particularly concerning given the road environment in the Blue Mountains.

Four new Performance Based Standards (PBS) combinations are now eligible to operate in Victoria under the National Class 2 Performance Based Standards (High Productivity) Authorisation Notice 2022 (No.3).

These new vehicles include B-triples general freight, B-triples volumetric, AB-triples general freight and AB-triples volumetric.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said that, since the notice was introduced in Victoria and New South Wales, it had replaced thousands of Class 2 permits, saving administrative time and cost and improving productivity.

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.

After thousands of driver records were found destroyed in a chemical bath of weed killer, a former transport company director has been convicted and fined in a South Australian court, following a lengthy investigation by South Australia Police.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) will be introducing changes to the Performance Based Standards (PBS) scheme Vehicle Approval (VA) document to reduce administrative burden for industry and provide a better customer experience.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the changes would remove some of the unnecessary complexity in getting a PBS vehicle approved, meaning we can get safer, smarter, more productive vehicles on our roads sooner.