Roads and Maritime Services (replacing the Roads and Traffic Authority) is working with other Commonwealth, State and Territory agencies towards the implementation of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), which is due to commence operation on 1 January 2013.
While work is being conducted at a national level to prepare for the changes, Roads and Maritime Services is currently preparing for the changes that the NHVR will bring to NSW.
The NHVR will be responsible for implementing a new national system for regulating all heavy vehicles more than 4.5 tonnes GVM (including special purpose vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles that have such a GVM). This will achieve the following across all States and Territories:
- Efficiency: A common set of laws for heavy vehicles for all States and Territories.
- Safety: A national safety monitoring and reporting system dedicated to heavy vehicles.
- Productivity: The ability to provide quick responses to changing industry trends and needs.
- Services: A single point of contact for all heavy vehicle regulation in Australia.
- Independence: The NHVR will be an independent statutory authority.
- Compliance and enforcement: A unified strategy and approach.
- Registration: A national heavy vehicle registration system.
- Transparency and accountability: With review for key decision making.
Once established under statutory authority, the NHVR will be an independent organisation, responsible for ensuring consistency in operational policies and the services it provides. It will be based in Queensland, and will report to the Standing Committee on Transport and Infrastructure (SCOTI).
Roads and Maritime Services has started work to identify how the changes brought about through the national regulator will impact services to its heavy vehicle and freight customers in NSW, and determine how the transition process to the national regulator can be implemented with minimal disruption to customers.
Further updates will be published as they become available.