Issue 79 | 16 March 2020

Message from the CEO

The spread of COVID19 or coronavirus has led to uncertainty on many fronts for the heavy vehicle industry. Our primary concern is the well-being of staff and drivers, as well as the significant economic and operational burden, which is likely to remain for some time. At the time of writing the NHVR are maintaining our full service levels. Our on-road staff have been provided with disposable rubber gloves and hand sanitiser to be utilised when conducting road-side activities to reduce any contact or spread of the virus. Like all businesses we are continuing a process of on-going assessment of our capabilities and how we can deliver those services. However we will ensure we balance the needs of supporting a safe heavy vehicle industry with the need to conduct your operations and businesses during a time of great uncertainty. Sal

Simple steps to avoid coronavirus

The NHVR is urging heavy vehicle drivers and operators to take steps to maintain their health and wellbeing while health authorities continually update advice on the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19). The most important thing you can do to protect yourself, your staff and colleagues is to practice good hygiene, including: washing your hands regularly and using hand sanitiser keeping work areas, eating surfaces and benches clean covering your mouth while coughing or sneezing avoiding close contact with anyone who has flu-like symptoms Operators and drivers should carry additional hand sanitiser. If you become unwell or suspect you may have symptoms of coronavirus, please seek medical assistance regardless of whether you believe you may have come into contact with someone with the illness.  If you are unwell, regardless of the cause, please stay home. You can find more information about coronavirus at www.health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

NHVR urges caution over spate of grape spills

The NHVR is warning drivers to be aware of spilled grapes on South Australian roads.   NHVR Manager Stakeholder Engagement John Gilbert said that it was critical that operators, vineyards, wineries and others involved in transporting grapes put in place robust safety systems to ensure a safe journey for everyone. “We want to see these grapes made into great South Australian wine, not left to rot on our highways,” John said.   “So far in March we’ve seen around 10 major spills on state and local roads in the Riverland region. That’s following 30 major spills in February.  > Click to read the full article

Report puts livestock supply chain safety in focus

The NHVR is calling for feedback on future safety reforms across the livestock supply chain.  NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto told last week’s Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association’s 2020 Conference in Tamworth that the review would target several key areas where Chain of Responsibility laws applied to the movement of sheep and cattle. “We’ve identified a range of issues including loading practices, understanding of mass management and general understanding of regulatory responsibilities,” Sal said. “There are a number of questions raised about why overloading occurs, the pressures on drivers and how the livestock supply chain are meeting their safety responsibilities.” According to the Livestock Supply Chain Issues Paper, movement of sheep and cattle makes up about four per cent of the national freight task, but accounts for more than 10 per cent of accidents, including a significant number of rollovers. > Click to read the full story

Reminder: Industry Safety Survey

A reminder to add your voice to our survey about how you tackle your safety responsibilities.  NHVR Safety Assurance Director Greg Fill said the online safety survey would assist the NHVR to decide how best to develop future safety information. “We want to hear from everyone across the industry and supply chain about what they do to manage safety,” Greg said.   The survey will allow the NHVR to continue to develop programs to support operators to meet their safety duties. The survey is voluntary and responses are confidential. It will be conducted by independent research company Insync and take about 10 minutes to complete. > Click here to access the survey. It’s open until 31 March.

Watch your speed in B-triples

A reminder to all B-triple drivers that the maximum speed limit for these vehicles when operating on Queensland roads is 90km/h. In Queensland, the road rules limit the operation of all road trains to the lesser of the sign-posted speed limit and 90km/h. A B-triple is a road train. A previous condition of the National Road Train Notice suggested B-triples may operate at up to 100km/h. That condition was removed in October 2018. > Please see Information sheet – Speed limits for B-triples in Queensland for more details.

Portal Training Event South Australia - Postponed

Please be advised that the Customer Portal Training being held on  March 17, 2020 has been postponed. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. We will be releasing new dates once they have been confirmed.

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During this time, we will be updating our website with any relevant information for industry. We will also provide updates via our social media channels where required.

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