Archive, Industry News

NHVR refuses to take risk on IT: Hancock

More work to be done as CEO takes cautious approach to access management system

By Ruza Zivkusic-Aftasi | August 21, 2013

It could take another 10 days of testing the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) access management system to determine whether a new start date for a fully functional national heavy vehicle regulatory system is suitable.

The NHVR received integration testing results of the management system as late as
last Friday that identified several defects, prompting the regulator to push back the start date to October 1.

Most issues were resolved over the weekend but it was deemed it too risky for the system to go live on September 1, NHVR CEO Richard Hancock says.

“It is absolutely crucial that when we go live the core IT system that’s involved is working well as it needs to,” Hancock says.

“I don’t want to risk businesses and I don’t want to risk the NHVR’s reputation by going live with a system that is just not ready and that’s the point that we’re at now.”

The new deadline will allow time to work on special purpose and over-size over-mass permit issues, and will enable police to train more officers, he adds.

“It also gives us more time to work with local councils – I’ve still got some more information I want to get out to local councils and to complete that process before everything goes live,” Hancock says.

“Whilst the testing has had some defects which you want to find before you go live, we have actually built the system and have been demonstrating the journey planner which is the mapping part of the system to industry and other people – we just have to make sure that’s all working well.”

He is happy with the work of two IT companies who have spent the last nine months building the system.

“We haven’t tried to build absolutely everything from the ground up, we have used off the shelf products and individually they work fine – it’s about making sure they work together which is what we’re running through the testing now.”

Up to 100,000 permit applications will be processed each year once the system goes live.

The NHVR advised transport industry associations of the changed date on Monday, which was well-received.

“The overwhelming message from the industry is to get it right – they’re much more concerned about making it right and making sure it can work on another day rather than picking September 1 and taking too much risk,” Hancock says.

Bookmark and Share

Previous ArticleNext Article
Send this to a friend