NSW infringements and breaches continue in operation's second week but drug use percentage falls dramatically
New South Wales authorities have issued 2,810 defect notices for trucks and trailers in the second weekend of Operation StateTrans from close to 16,000 inspections.
So far, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and police have inspected 29,740 trucks and trailers since May 1, having seen 13,806 in the first week, and have handed out 1,697 traffic infringements and 615 breach notices for licence, registration, load, fatigue, and other offences.
Over the first week, the authorities reported 888 infringements and 317 breaches.
The number of non-compliant or tampered with engine control modules is also relatively steady over the two weeks, with 75 problems identified from 376 downloads in the second week versus the 66 from 321 in week one.
Traffic and highway patrol commander assistant commissioner John Hartley says the whole ordeal should serve as a learning experience for drivers, loaders, and operators.
“While the number of non-compliance issues is relatively low given the number of trucks intercepted, those that are tampering with speed to allow their trucks to travel over the 100km/h limit for heavy vehicles are being identified, prosecuted, and put off the road,” Hartley says.
This action has had an obvious effect, RMS general manager compliance operations Paul Endycott says, as over “the past three years there has been a 50 per cent drop in the defect rate in NSW”.
“StateTrans plays an important role in seeing this downwards trend continue,” he says.
“With thousands of truck movements taking place every day, drivers, operators and all parties in the Chain of Responsibility must ensure their business practices do not compromise safety on the roads, and all vehicles must be roadworthy and meet the required checks and balances.
“It’s only a small number of drivers, operators, and companies that continually do the wrong thing which is why working with NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol is important in both ensuring, and enforcing, heavy vehicle compliance on the roads.”
When it comes to the drivers themselves and drug taking behaviour, it appears the numbers have improved in just a week as more than twice the number of tests in the second week only revealed three more positive results.
From 1,252 random tests, the taskforce found 15 positive results – numbers a far cry from the 12 positives seen in week one from 756 tests.