Company looks to deal with speed limiter compliance promptly
Fleet owner United Resource Management (URM) says it is cooperating with New South Wales authorities and taking remedial action over the shortfalls identified amongst its trucks.
Fresh from a chorus of industry discontent over Operation Rolling Thunder, NSW Police and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) grounded two trucks, issued 23 defect notices, and found 25 found to be non-compliant speed limiters following a fatal crash in Dee Why last week.
In the well-publicised incident last Thursday, a 58-year-old woman was struck by a garbage truck while pushing her 18-month-old grandson in a pram.
The woman died at the scene but the child was not injured.
Following investigations, officers from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit charged the 27-year-old driver of the garbage truck with dangerous driving occasioning death, and negligent driving occasioning death.
He is due to face Manly Local Court on March 7.
The Traffic Taskforce began a compliance inspection at the company’s sites at Middleton Road, Cromer, and Spencer Street, Five Dock.
“A number of defects were found; some of these defects have already been cleared and others are awaiting clearance,” URM MD Anthony Johnston says yesterday.
“URM is working closely with the RMS to resolve issues raised in relation to non-compliant speed limiters and expect to issue independent certificates of compliance within 24 hours in relation to each of these speed limiters.
“URM is an organisation that prides itself in continuous improvement and will work with the NSW Police and all stakeholders to improve our maintenance systems and compliance where possible.
“URM conducts daily fleet inspections to ensure continued compliance with our statutory obligations and these inspections will continue.”
Authorities says that officers inspected 36 trucks across the two sites and issued a total of 23 mechanical defect notices for a range of issues including oil and hydraulic leaks, cracked chassis, and faulty lights.
Following mechanical inspections, police conducted speed limiter downloads of 26 vehicles in the company’s fleet, with 25 found to be non-compliant.
Among those inspected were two vehicles issued red label defect notices and grounded.
“Last week’s crash in Dee Why – which resulted in the death of a grandmother – is nothing short of a tragedy,” the commander of the Traffic & Highway Patrol, assistant commissioner Michael Corboy, says.
“Thankfully, the young child the woman was pushing in a pram was not injured.
“While the matter is now before the court, I can say that today’s operation is in direct response to the crash.
“To find 23 mechanical defects and 25 out of 26 speed limiters non-compliant in one day at a single company is not good enough.
“The operation today should serve as a warning to all other companies, that we will inspect your entire fleet if one of your trucks is involved in a serious incident.
“Don’t wait until you or one of your drivers gets involved in a serious crash, get your fleet and processes in place now, so that it doesn’t happen at all.”