Heavy vehicle safety improved in Tasmania from 3 March 2016

03-03-2016

Tasmania implements national inspection standards for heavy vehicles today, representing the first step in moving toward a new approach for managing the safety of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.

The adoption of the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual Version 2 in Tasmania provides a national set of standards and criteria for inspecting heavy vehicles. Developed with extensive industry consultation, all participating states and territories will adopt the manual into their inspection regimes by 1 July 2016.

Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure, Rene Hidding, welcomed this step towards a nationally consistent approach, ahead of the national implementation date of 1 July.

"Tasmania led the way when it adopted the National Inspection Manual in 2006, which was used as the basis for the NHVR's National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual Version 2."

"This means that as well as delivering the safety and efficiency benefits of the national system, the transition to the national manual will be fairly straightforward and involve little change for operators, or for our Heavy Vehicle inspection stations."

"The Department of State Growth continues to work closely with industry and the NHVR to support operators to transition to the national arrangements."

NHVR CEO, Sal Petroccitto said the manual was the first part of a National Heavy Vehicle Roadworthiness Program for improving the overall safety of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.

"The manual provides authorised officers, vehicle examiners and operators a nationally consistent set of criteria used to conduct heavy vehicle inspections and sets a foundation for improving heavy vehicle roadworthiness.

"With a single set of national inspection criteria, we can work with operators to introduce a proactive approach to roadworthiness that includes preventative maintenance enhancing the safety of their vehicles."

Further information on the implementation of the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual Version 2 in Tasmania can be found at www.nhvr.gov.au/nhvim-resources