NSW Police have launched a compliance operation with assistance from Victoria Police targeting a transportation company after one of its trucks was allegedly involved in a serious crash on the Hume Highway.
The initiative, which began yesterday (Thursday 11 June 2015), and is part of Operation Austrans, has so far revealed 45 defects, including 10 major and 35 minor defects covering 170 issues such as brakes, suspension, oil and fuel leaks.
In total, 48 trucks and 18 trailers were inspected and 12 Engine Control Modules were downloaded, with two trucks found to be non-compliant, allowing speeds over 100 kph.
Police conducted 14 random breath testing and drug testing, with one driver returning a positive result.
Operation Austrans, a national, month-long blitz on compliance within the heavy-vehicle industry, is being conducted in NSW by the Joint Traffic Taskforce, which comprises NSW Police Force Traffic and Highway Patrol Command officers and Roads and Maritime Services inspectors.
Yesterday’s operation follows a serious crash on Monday (1 June 2015) involving two trucks on the Hume Highway which left one driver with spinal injuries and he was airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition.
The other driver, in a Victoria-registered B Double, was allegedly under the influence of drugs and a quantity of drugs was recovered from the vehicle.
The operation focused on the company’s premises in Albury and Chipping Norton in NSW and Laverton in Victoria, where Victoria Police set up mobile intercepts.
Traffic & Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, said police will always be on the lookout for any violations and urged truck companies to comply with all regulations and road rules.
“It is unacceptable that truck drivers and truck companies take risks that put all road users in danger. Our officers will continue to do everything possible to take violating and non-compliant trucks off the road,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.
Roads and Maritime Services Director of Safety and Compliance, Peter Wells said the operation on the border today continues to show us the value of an Australia wide crackdown on rogue operators. The identification of safety defects during today’s operation may have stopped another tragic incident like the one we saw at the start of the month.
“It is important operators recognise the focus on compliance and road safety will continue after Austrans is completed. Transport operators must operate safe and roadworthy trucks. This month-long operation has provided further intelligence for us to work through and other road users can be assured we will continue to follow up all information which improves safety on our roads.”