Fatigue, compliance campaign wins NHVR support as post-Rolling Thunder national push gets underway
New South Wales Road and Maritime Services (RMS) is at the forefront of a nationwide push on heavy vehicle compliance this week, with the launch of Operation Shield, the follow-up to Operation Rolling Thunder.
The heavy vehicle compliance action is said to be the largest of a nationwide push on compliance being coordinated this week by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) in cooperation with state regulators.
RMS director of compliance Roger Weeks says Operation Shield would build on the results of Operation Rolling Thunder, this time targeting fatigue and speed limiter non-compliance.
“Fortunately, the majority of truckies and companies do the right thing – it is those who don’t that we are targeting – because it is completely unacceptable that the things we are seeing are still happening,” Weeks says.
“Safety is our highest priority and we will continue to work with industry to ensure compliance levels can be lifted and systemic safety failures are stamped out.”
RMS will be inspecting heavy vehicles across various locations in NSW and the NHVR will coordinate similar compliance inspections with other road transport agencies in other states and territories.
NHVR regulatory compliance and assurance director Tony Martin says fatigue and vehicle roadworthiness had been a focus area of the regulator’s safety program in recent months.
“Better coordination and focus on heavy vehicle compliance efforts across the country is delivering a more consistent approach to enforcement and better safety outcomes for all road users,” Martin says.
“Assisting drivers and operators to better manage fatigue and vehicle roadworthiness has been a significant part of the NHVR’s safety program in recent months.
“Over 11 days last September, officers from road transport agencies, Police and WorkSafe from Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia inspected 5,164 vehicles and drivers’ work diaries across 20 sites.
“Officers found 306 fatigue issues and 311 mechanical issues, indicating 94 per cent compliance across the operation.”