The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Board recently advised Australia's Transport Ministers that the start date for the Heavy Vehicle National Law needs to move from 1 September 2013, due to the need for more testing of the NHVR’s critical IT system for access permits.
At the time, a new target date of 1 October was proposed, subject to test results. NHVR CEO Richard Hancock explains that while the testing phase has gone well, the target date for the new national law is yet to be confirmed.
“Although the testing of our systems has gone very well, the start date for the Heavy Vehicle National Law will not be 1 October. The NHVR Board wants more preparatory work done in areas such as user acceptance, training and support for local government,” said Mr Hancock.
“I’m grateful for the continued strong support from industry and participating states and territories for a revised start date that ensures our IT systems and processes excel when they go live,” Mr Hancock said, “I intend to advise soon of a confirmed date for commencement of the new national law.”
Once the new NHVR systems are ready to roll, the new rule book will apply in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. The NHVR will deal with up to 100,000 access permit applications each year, as well as taking on responsibility for laws relating to vehicle standards, fatigue management and chain of responsibility.
Until the new start date, though, it's business as usual for heavy vehicle operators and drivers. The NHVR will continue to manage the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) and Performance-Based Standards (PBS) design and vehicle approvals. State and territory road transport authorities will continue to administer all other road transport business with government.
For the latest information, please visit the NHVR website at www.nhvr.gov.au or contact 1300 MYNHVR (1300 696 487). Standard 1300 call charges apply. Please check with your phone provider.
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Contact: Orla Thompson
Manager – Marketing and Communication
Email: media@nhvr.gov.au
Mobile: 0419 092 510