The final results of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s Operation Falcon targeting PBS vehicles in New South Wales earlier this year are out, and its a win for the Performance-Based Standards scheme.
Operation Falcon was held from April 28 to May 3 and focused on inspecting PBS vehicle combinations for Vehicle Standards and Permits.
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PBS permits are granted to heavy vehicles that meet strict safety and engineering requirements that enable them the combinations to run heavier and longer than a standard truck and trailer set up.
The underlying theory behind the scheme is to have longer, more productive, trucks on certain routes, cutting down the number of trucks on the road and kilometres travelled and making moving freight more cost-effective.
In a statement released on August 25, NHVR’s acting director of Operations (Central Region) Alan O’Hara said the results were more favourable for the 367 intercepted PBS vehicles than for the 1,928 remaining heavy vehicles intercepted during the operation.
“The results revealed a non-compliance rate of 11 per cent for PBS vehicles, compared to a 22 per cent non-compliance rate for other heavy vehicles inspected,” he says.
“PBS vehicle combinations by design are safer and more productive, enabling more freight to be moved in a safe way with fewer truck movements.
“The strong safety results, including greater mechanical, load restraint practices, and permit compliance, are a positive outcome for operators of PBS.
“The PBS vehicle combinations inspected were exemplary in load security, with a 100% compliance rate in load restraint.”
O’Hara said the operation targeted non-compliance risks associated with PBS heavy vehicle operations across New South Wales.
“In the lead-up to Operation Falcon, the NHVR observed select PBS vehicle combinations operating outside of approved networks,” he says.
“Operators must hold a valid PBS Vehicle Approval and comply with relevant notice or permit conditions to operate on an approved road network.
“PBS vehicles are involved in 46 per cent fewer major crashes per kilometre travelled than conventional heavy vehicles but can pose a safety risk if operating outside of the approved networks and conditions of a permit or notice.”
As part of the Operation, O’Hara said the NHVR’s Safety and Compliance Officers (SCOs) conducted 122 interactions to improve driver awareness on PBS safety obligations.
“Sixty-eight per cent of PBS driver education was focused on PBS permit and Vehicle Approval information to promote greater awareness of PBS obligations and approval conditions,” he says.
“Through Operation Falcon, we are seeing firsthand benefits of targeted compliance activities to address heavy vehicle compliance trends and issues, to ultimately improve road safety outcomes.”
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