The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has announced it will be piloting two new heavy vehicle weight check stations outside of operating hours.
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Taking place in New South Wales, the Heavy Vehicle Safety Stations (HVSS) are the Halfway Creek HVSS 32km south of Grafton and the Daroobalgie HVSS, with both stations being available for wider industry use.
According to NHVR COO, Paul Salvati, the pilot is being launched in response to industry feedback and will bolster self-compliance within the heavy vehicle industry.
“Effective from the beginning of April, two weighbridges will be open outside of operational hours on key transportation routes in NSW, allowing drivers to check the weight of their vehicle and ensure their movements are safe and efficient,” Salvati said. “With the weighbridges being open while unstaffed, we’d like to remind drivers to utilise these sites in a safe and productive manner.
“Throughout this pilot, we want to see these sites remain free from vandalism and damage – in the past, incidents like these resulted in many weighbridges being gated across NSW.”
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This latest move from the NHVR is designed to increase self-regulation from heavy vehicle drivers, operating in tandem with pre-departure vehicle inspections, correctly restrained loads, and roadworthiness checks.
With the increase and adoption of On-Board Mass technology on vehicles, the NHVR says it sees drivers validating the technology when stopped at a safety station weighbridge.
“We want to encourage heavy vehicle drivers and operators to utilise these designated weighbridge facilities to assist in their compliance,” Mr Salvati said.
“Overloading a vehicle not only jeopardises road infrastructure but also poses significant safety risks to motorists.
“All parties in the supply chain have a primary duty to ensure the safety of their transport activities.”