In the transport industry, compliance with Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) is crucial for ensuring safety and operational legitimacy. However, for many smaller operators, keeping up with compliance standards can be challenging, especially when rapid business growth or unexpected incidents demand immediate action.
Recently, I assisted a transport operator who faced severe compliance issues, and in under 48 hours, we were able to turn his non-compliant operation into a fully compliant one.
The operator, a long-time driver who had expanded his business over the past year, had several trucks and drivers in his fleet. However, compliance was not his area of expertise, and when one of his vehicles was involved in an accident that resulted in an injury, his entire operation came under scrutiny.
The Heavy Vehicle Police reviewed his compliance records and found that his business was falling short of the requirements under the HVNL. An improvement notice was issued, compelling him to engage a compliance consultant, set up a compliance system and conduct stringent reporting.
Adding to the complexity, his primary client conducted a Chain of Responsibility (CoR) audit and suspended his fleet from service due to non-compliance. This left the operator with urgent compliance requirements to meet, affecting his business viability and his drivers’ livelihoods. Desperate to resolve the issue and get his business back on track, he reached out to me for guidance.
The operator faced a range of compliance gaps that needed to be resolved immediately, including driver fitness (there were no up-to-date fitness-for-duty records), load verification (he lacked a documented process for determining the weight, restraint and stability of each load), vehicle maintenance (maintenance schedules and records were incomplete or missing) and daily vehicle checks (no system was in place to ensure that pre-start checks were conducted consistently).
Alongside that, there was no fault reporting process, and fatigue and speed management was an issue (no policies or monitoring were in place for ensuring driver fatigue management or speed compliance), as was driver induction and training (there were no records showing that drivers had been inducted or trained in compliance practices).
In addition to these issues, the improvement notice required him to meet HVNL record-keeping obligations, set up systematic compliance audits and non-conformance tracking, conduct driver training specifically for work and rest hour recording and maintain monthly audits to ensure driver compliance.
The first step was a thorough consultation to understand the operator’s business structure, workflow and specific compliance needs. We then implemented Hubfleet’s digital Safety Management System, or SMS, designed to streamline record-keeping and compliance management.
The SMS provided an integrated solution for maintaining and verifying compliance, including record storage, real-time data analysis and compliance alerts. This system offered a user-friendly platform for both drivers and managers, making it easy for the team to document compliance practices and respond promptly to any issues.
The SMS provided a set of features that enabled the operator to quickly meet his compliance requirements:
- Fatigue Monitoring: The system tracked driver work and rest hours, generating alerts for any non-compliance to ensure adherence to fatigue management requirements.
- Non-Conformance Management: The system’s non-conformance module allowed us to immediately identify, report, and address compliance issues.
- Fit-for-Duty Records: Drivers could complete fit-for-duty declarations at the beginning of each shift.
- Pre-Start Checks: Daily vehicle inspections were logged in real-time, with record of any missed inspections.
- Fault Reporting and Management: Drivers reported vehicle faults directly within the system, streamlining the process of logging and addressing issues.
- Load Documentation: The system enabled drivers to log load weights, verify mass compliance and document load restraint and stability.
- Employee Records: The centralised storage of employee training and induction records made it easy to verify each driver’s compliance training.
- Access to Policies: All company policies were uploaded to the system, making them easily accessible to drivers and other employees.
We quickly customised compliance policies and procedures using templates tailored to the operator’s specific requirements. These policies covered areas such as mass and load management, fatigue and speed compliance, and vehicle maintenance standards. The policies were then uploaded to the system so that all staff could easily access and refer to them.
With the system configured and policies in place, we organised a training session for the operator and his drivers. The training covered essential areas such as:
- Setting up the app, managing shifts, and recording work entries.
- Logging pre-start checks and reporting faults.
- Documenting load information and mass compliance.
- Accessing and reviewing company policies and procedures.
- Making rest entries and editing activity logs.
After the training, all drivers had a clear understanding of their responsibilities and were equipped to use the system confidently.
Within 48 hours, the operator was able to provide documented evidence of his compliance efforts to his primary client, who verified the changes and allowed him to resume operations. The operator was not only back in business but was now equipped with an effective compliance system to avoid future issues.
This experience highlighted the crucial role that a structured and easy-to-use compliance system plays in the transport industry. By having a reliable platform for documenting, monitoring and managing compliance, operators can avoid the risk of costly disruptions and improve safety standards across their business. The system has since allowed the operator to maintain ongoing compliance with minimal effort, letting him focus on growing his business with confidence.
This case serves as a powerful reminder that even small operators, who may not have extensive compliance knowledge, can achieve compliance quickly with the right tools and support. The transport industry’s regulatory environment can be challenging, but having a reliable, digital solution can make all the difference.
If you’re a transport operator facing similar compliance challenges, exploring the benefits of a digital Safety Management System may be the most efficient and effective way to ensure you meet all HVNL requirements and safeguard your operation.
Author
With 30 years of experience in the heavy vehicle transport industry, Glyn Castanelli is a qualified auditor for NHVAS, WAHVA, AMCAS, and CLOCS-A. As a Compliance and Customer Success Consultant at Hubfleet, he guides companies in navigating complex regulations and optimising their safety management systems. Glyn’s passion for helping businesses thrive extends beyond compliance, encompassing operational improvements and best practices. Glyn is a recognised voice in the industry, regularly sharing his expertise through articles, podcasts, and speaking engagements.