NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay has ordered new regulations giving NSW truck inspectors’ greater powers to crackdown on rogue trucking companies after they are found to have defects in their fleet.
Minister Gay said NSW had the most comprehensive inspection scheme in the country with more than 280 front line inspectors and investigators that carry out more than 2 million screenings through checking stations with more than 300,000 intercepts and detailed inspections each year.
“As far as inspections and enforcement goes we are the toughest state in the country,” Minister Gay said.
“But after we ground trucks for defects, the responsibility rests with trucking companies to carry out repairs.
“On occasions, trucking companies send defected trucks back to our checking stations to be cleared for road worthiness, without those repairs having been carried out.
“This is an appalling situation for our inspectors and a burden on the NSW taxpayer.
“NSW inspectors will now be given the powers to deregister these trucks for up to 3 months if they have not carried out the required repairs.
“I’ve also requested Transport for NSW and RMS explore measures to give investigators the ability to compel truck operators to provide details of their maintenance schemes including information about expenditure on their fleets, no matter which state they’re from.
“As the through state for heavy vehicle freight on the eastern seaboard NSW sees over 60 per cent of the nation’s road freight task and we’re spending $70 million on truck enforcement each year, more than half of the $130 million figure spent nationally.
“Wherever there is an area our heavy vehicle enforcement team needs greater powers, we will provide them,” Minister Gay said.