PBS Digitisation Project underway

PBS enhancements for the next 12 months

The NHVR’s Performance Based Standards (PBS) Digitisation Project is back up and running, with plenty of benefits to be delivered over the next 12 months. The project aims to create a more efficient and sustainable approvals system through NHVR Go, allowing for better business continuity, scalability, and support for the growing demand of over 400 monthly vehicle approvals and changes.

The PBS Approvals process will transform into a robust digital workflow system, to enable data-driven decision-making and enhance collaboration across jurisdictions through system integrations and API-enabled sharing.

As part of the overall project, the NHVR has identified four key bodies of work:

1. PBS Design Approval Application – A fully digitised form within NHVR Go with API options, reducing errors, and providing a complete digital end-to-end approval workflow with secure data capture and storage
2. PBS Vehicle Approval Application – Establishing a fully digitised end-to-end workflow within NHVR Go, improved Vehicle approval times, reducing errors, and securely capturing Vehicle Approval data.
3. Vehicle Approval Library – Using digitised PBS data to create a clearer Vehicle based view of approval information, enabling easier planning, improved access permit application and compliance information providing authorised stakeholders with customised, user-specific access to relevant information.
4. Data Digitisation – Migrating historical Approval information to a contemporary database within NHVR Go, providing data forms for digital approval workflows and views, access applications where available and for automated access assessment applications being developed by state transport agencies as part of the National Automated Access System.

The project is scheduled to rollout until September 2026, with each stream delivering benefits to stakeholders at every stage. If you have any questions or need to direct industry to a point of contact, the best place to do so is our shared mailbox at PBS.Digitisation@nhvr.gov.au. We look forward to updating you with further information shortly.

Improvements to the Performance Based Standards scheme

Building on earlier work under the PBS 2.0 program, we will be delivering several initiatives running through to July 2026, including completing the review of remaining PBS standards.

The PBS Enhancements Project will strengthen the PBS scheme by reviewing existing standards and developing template vehicle designs. These efforts are vital to enhancing heavy vehicle safety, boosting productivity, and improving regulatory efficiency.

This project will deliver the following:

1. Review of PBS Drive Line Standards - Startability, Gradeability, Acceleration Capability
2. Review PBS High Speed Dynamics Standards - Static Rollover Threshold, Rearward Amplification, High Speed Transient Offtracking
3. Implementation of revised standards including Directional Stability Under Braking (DSUB) and Pavement Horizontal Loading (PHLS)
4. Development and release of PBS Design Templates for A-Double and Truck & Dog combinations, aiming to simplify industry entry into PBS and reduce compliance costs.

Together, these deliverables will ensure that PBS standards remain modern and technically robust, promote safer vehicle designs, lower barriers to entry for operators, and provide the industry with greater certainty of access.

We will be keen to get industry input as these different workstreams take shape. We’ll keep you updated on our progress and share key milestones and achievements throughout the year. If you have any questions about the PBS Enhancements Project, please contact us PBSreview@nhvr.gov.au.