Compliance audit reveals evidence of speed tampering and a number of defects.
An early morning operation against car-carrying heavy vehicles has revealed instances of speed tampering and multiple major and minor defects.
NSW Police and the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) launched Operation Blackcat following an earlier speed audit of car carriers in the state.
Authorities focused on a new car distributor at Minto on February 13 and discovered seven trucks had been tampered with to allow them to exceed 100km/h.
Both agencies inspected 94 trucks in total and found major and minor defects relating to oil leaks, rust, brakes, lights, windscreen and engine control.
Authorities also intercepted trucks on the road, with six vehicles pulled over on the NSW south coast, two in Wagga Wagga and two in Victoria.
Officers conducted 43 drug and alcohol tests, with one driver testing positive to cannabis and being taken off the road for 24 hours, pending further analysis and prosecution.
NSW Police superintendent Stuart Smith says the compliance operation “has identified some disturbing trends in terms of speed tampering, along with major and minor defects”.
“To see one truck with the roof rusted out, another with the front fender held on by duct tape, and those that have been tampered with to allow speeds above 100km/h highlights the importance of these operations to ensure compliance across this industry sector,” he says.
“This is about ensuring the safety of those that drive and load trucks on a daily basis, and other road users who come into contact with them.”
RMS general manager of compliance operations Paul Endycott says operations like the one conducted on February 13 are about demonstrating to the trucking industry that speeding will not be tolerated.
“This is about changing the culture within the industry. The [NSW Police and RMS] joint heavy vehicle taskforce is committed to tackling this problem head on, even if we have to do it one company at a time,” Endycott says.
“We have made it quite clear distribution centres will be a focus of our enforcement operations this year to ensure those trying to gain unfair commercial advantage don’t risk the safety of us all.”