Authorities uncover a number of maintenance issues during vehicle inspections at Australia Post parcel lodgement centre.
Authorities in New South Wales have foreshadowed ongoing enforcement campaigns against the parcel delivery sector in the wake of an operation that uncovered multiple vehicle defects at an Australia Post facility.
NSW Police and the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) today turned up to the company’s parcel lodgement centre at Chullora to carry out mechanical compliance inspections and download data from engine control modules.
Officers had been gathering intelligence since January on alleged speeding offences and today inspected 194 trucks and trailers and issued 22 major defects and 10 minor defects under the banner of Operation Despatch. These included defects involving brakes, tyres, suspension and oil/fuel leaks.
A further 23 vehicle engine control modules were downloaded with all of them found to be non compliant. Four of those were found to have records of speeding over 100km/h.
“These operations will continue until the dangerous and potentially deadly behaviour ends – even if we have to visit each facility one by one,” NSW Police assistant commissioner John Hartley says.
“Given other tragic events involving heavy vehicles resulting in serious injury and fatal crashes in recent times, these operations are focused on prevention through enforcing safety for the benefit of all road users.”
Hartley says crackdowns like Operation Despatch are important for ensuring heavy vehicle safety and compliance across all sectors of the industry.
The operation conducted at Chullora today is the fourth this year.