Truckies should not have to take 45 minutes out of their work day to comply with the NHVR’s 12-week safety blitz, believes a frustrated Queensland operator who spoke out in protest of the campaign that starts this week.
Operators in all states and territories are now on notice to organise the time into the drivers’ scheduling to allow for the random roadside inspections.
Billed as the National Roadworthiness Survey (NRS), the regulator says the stops are necessary to “drive safety and efficiency improvements” to the mechanical condition of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.
“I’m trying to embrace this new age of fairness,” said the veteran who asked not to be named because “I don’t want a target on my back”.
“But I would like the NHVR to explain how do you all of a sudden manufacture three-quarters of an hour of extra work activity into a driver’s roster when you don’t know when you’re going to be intercepted?
“We’ve got mass and maintenance accreditations but if they’re going to do audits, and I’ve had them done, they notify you.
“It lets you know that you’ve got to be prepared to drop everything, like you should.
“But why is this the drivers’ problem, to be part of this, to make sure that the operator is compliant?
“The poor old driver has to find three-quarters of an hour just because the regulator wants to do a baseline on roadworthies.
“Do whatever you like, but why put them out?
The operator can’t see why the regulator couldn’t instead just give truckies more of an idea of where and when they might be pulled over.
“All I”m suggesting is commonsense. They could say, ‘listen, we’re going to do the Hume to the Queensland border between July 10-21’, for example.”
Further west, the operator believes you’ve almost got to have a standby truck ready for a changeover.
“There comes great expense because you’ve got to go and get another truck out of your arse. Have they unpacked this enough and really looked at the ramifications?
“The drivers over there are on 14-hour books as it is and cannot manufacture 45 minutes “for love or money”.
NHVR operations manager Tamie Haley said the NHVR recognises the survey may cause disruption for drivers and operators whose vehicles are stopped and inspected, and understands the importance of keeping the supply chain moving.
“Inspections can average around 45 minutes depending on the vehicle type and if there are defects identified, so it’s important for drivers to factor adequate time into their schedule to accommodate for this,” Haley explained.
“We understand industry works to tight schedules and where possible, all NHVR officers will ensure minimal disruption occurs – we will carry out these inspections effectively and efficiently.
“I encourage industry to prepare for the NRS by reading the NHVR Daily Safety Checklist – by taking a few minutes before each trip to check basic safety items on your vehicle, you can identify any issues and ensure the vehicle is safe and ready for the journey.”
NHVR safety and compliance officers, alongside police and authorised officers, will undertake random visual and mechanical inspections of around 8500 trucks, buses, and other Special Purpose Vehicles to “identify existing and emerging risk trends, with the aim of enhancing road safety across the heavy vehicle industry”.
The regulator says the results of the survey will be compared to the first one held in 2016 and the follow-up in 2021 to determine where both the NHVR and industry are making improvements in vehicle safety, and the areas that need more focus.
“Results from NRS 2021 showed the rate of non-conformities had dropped significantly in comparison to 2016, and we are hoping this downward trend continues,” added NHVR chief operations officer Paul Salvati.
“The results of NRS 2024 will help inform the NHVR’s modern approach to regulation, that uses data and intelligence to address the greatest safety risks on our roads and keep our heavy vehicle industry productive and efficient.”
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