The NHVR’s national roadworthiness survey (NRS) is underway as of Monday, July 15, with the regulator now set to spend the next 12 weeks conducting a “health check” of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.
The 2024 NRS was announced earlier this year and follows the 2016 and 2021 national roadworthiness baselines surveys (NRBS) conducted in 2016 and 2021.
The NHVR says the inspections take an average of 45 minutes to complete, and will include a detailed visual inspection and mechanical component testing via vehicle inspection equipment that is based on the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual.
The inspection of buses, coaches and SPVs will predominantly be scheduled at depots.
Inspections are mandatory, and drivers must stay with their vehicles and comply with fatigue laws and HVNL requirements. Participation in the survey is considered work time for the purpose of work diaries and fatigue management considerations.
“We want the data to be as representative as possible of the condition of the Australian heavy vehicle fleet,” the NHVR says.
“The data collected will be used to inform policy and develop projects to reduce the social, environmental and economic harm from unroadworthy heavy vehicles.
“Specific operators, industries or drivers are not being targeted… the vehicles will be selected for inspection on a random basis using a method recommended by a statistician and inspections will be performed in a consistent manner nationally.”
The NHVR’s full FAQ document detailing the NRS is available here.