National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey Underway

Dear Customers,

HEAVY vehicles on Australian roads may see delays over the next two months, as the National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey – a “national health check” – gets underway.

National Heavy Vehicle Register (NHVR) CEO Sal Petroccitto said heavy vehicle operators need to advise their drivers and clients to allow appropriate time and have contingencies in place for potential vehicle inspections.

“If a vehicle is selected it will have a comprehensive visual inspection which, depending on the condition of the vehicle, may take on average 30 minutes and in certain case around 45 minutes,” he said.

“Operators must be prepared for a potential delay. We understand the importance of time in the supply chain and with drivers’ cooperation we will ensure minimal disruption occurs.
“Several pilots across the nation were conducted during July to ensure that inspections were completed as quickly as possible.
“We met with 130 inspection staff in 12 workshops across Australia in preparation for the survey. The health check will deliver a clear picture of roadworthiness. We’re doing it right, not rushed.”

An industry webinar on July 26 also answered questions from more than 440 participants regarding how and why the health check is being conducted.

The National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey is the first time the same inspection would be undertaken at the same time to the same standard nationally, according to Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester.

“For the first time we’ll have a single approach and set of rules for inspecting and assessing the safety condition of heavy vehicles,” Mr Chester said.

“The National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual now provides a nationally-consistent approach to assessing compliance to the vehicle standards.

“From today heavy vehicle health check inspections will be conducted by authorised officers at roadside check points and in depots throughout Australia to the same standard.

“This snapshot of the fleet’s condition will identify factors that increase the risk of incidents, assist to develop a national risk-based inspection approach and identify high-risk components, systems, vehicles or operators.”

Kind Regards

SILA Customer Service