The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has today announced the establishment of a dedicated team focused on investigating allegations of offending by off-road parties.
According to a media statement about the new department, it will focus on parties who do not safely manage their transport activities, or who make prohibited commercial requests that cause drivers to speed or drive tired.
NHVR executive director Raymond Hassall said the regulator has worked to enforce significant offences by parties in the Chain of Responsibility, more effectively and equitably.
“Our priority is ensuring everyone who works with heavy vehicles, including the parties who contract with transport operators, are accountable for safety,” Hassall said.
“Since the 2018 introduction of safety duties in the Heavy Vehicle National Law, more than 40 primary duty prosecutions have commenced with a focus on director level activities that contribute to serious safety offences.
“We know it is critical that we increase our efforts to focus more directly on the other parties in the chain and their role in ensuring safety.”
The investigative team will particularly rely on information gathered through the Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line (HVCRL).
The NHVR also utilises an Analysis and Risk team to analyse transport intelligence to target the greatest safety risks.
The Chain of Responsibility team at the NHVR now includes:
- Dedicated off-road investigative team.
- Major investigations unit tasked with responding to allegations of serious and systemic noncompliance.
- National prosecution team to litigate HVNL matters in metropolitan and regional courts
“The NHVR has established advisory material to ensure all parties are aware of key safety risks associated with the use of heavy vehicles and their controls,” Hassall added.
“The success of our new off-road investigative team will depend, in part, on the quality of information we obtain suggesting non-compliance.
“If you are a transport operator, a driver or a loved one who is aware of dangerous commercial pressures or safety practices arising from the activities of off-road parties, we encourage you to contact the HVCRL and talk to our trained assessment staff.”
The HVCRL is 1800 931 785.
I know that drivers might start paying more attention to the efforts of the NHVR once companies, especially large companies get actually fines and directors / managers imprisoned for forcing drivers to ‘Cook the Books’ as such.
Far too often we read that the company has been allowed to amend their directions as such and the likes, yet the driver on the side of the road is being given a huge pineapple for even minor offences and worse, ‘Record Keeping Errors’ such as forgetting to put an ‘X’ in a box.