As readers of our current print edition of Big Rigs – cover date November 27 – may have noted, our page three story about the prohibition notices issued to two Melbourne operators has been superseded by new information.
Shortly after the issue was printed and heading to the usual outlets, the NHVR repealed the notice issued to Punjab Roadtrains Pty Ltd, trading as Auswide Transport Solutions, and associated company Southern Cross Freight Lines Pty Ltd.
The next day Sidhu Investments, trading as Auswide Linehaul Services, also had its prohibition notice lifted.
The two companies are in no way related.
Punjab Roadtrains Pt Ltd also asked us to publish the below statement, which we will also print in our next edition, out December 11:
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has repealed the prohibition notice issued to Melbourne-based Punjab Roadtrains Pty Ltd, trading as Auswide Transport Solutions, and associated company Southern Cross Freight Lines Pty Ltd.
NHVR Executive Director Statutory Compliance Ray Hassall said that Punjab had entered into an undertaking with the regulator after providing evidence of improvements to practices.
“The undertaking includes regular milestones that Punjab has committed to meeting to provide evidence of its compliance with the regulator’s requirements,” said Hassall.
An Auswide Transport Solutions spokesperson said the actions by the NHVR caused great economic harm to the business.
In a written statement, however, Auswide Transport Solutions said the surprise notice issued on November 16 had caused a great deal of disruption to its clients.
“For this we are deeply sorry. Our business challenged the prohibition notice and during negotiations about that challenge the NHVR decided to revoke the notice upon Auswide making certain undertakings.
“No enforcement action has been taken by the NHVR against our business as part of this prohibition notice and both parties have agreed to work together into the future.”
Auswide Transport Solutions said it still retains all its accreditations with the NHVR and takes safety and fatigue management very seriously.
“Our business has invested heavily on reducing driver fatigue by installing across all its fleet the latest “seeing eyes” technology that monitors driver fatigue and monitors driving pattern.
“We are one of the few companies in the transport industry to install this latest technology in our trucks to mitigate driver error and fatigue related incidents.”
The company also wanted to stress that it is in no way related to Melbourne-based Auswide Linehaul Services, which also received a prohibition notice from the NHVR<https://www.bigrigs.com.au/index.php/2020/11/13/auswide-linehaul-services-fleet-grounded-amid-safety-concerns/> a few days earlier.