NSW police minister says heavy vehicle enforcement activities will not diminish until there is long-term cultural change in the industry
By Brad Gardner | March 14, 2013
New South Wales will continue to turn the screws on the trucking industry until there is a long-term cultural change in its approach to safety.
Police Minister Michael Gallacher says the results from Operation North Canuck, which ran from February 17 to 19, shows there are still some drivers and operators willing to put deadlines and profits ahead of safety.
Police and inspectors from the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) targeted truck drivers on the Pacific, Newell and New England highways last month, issuing 171 infringements and 18 court attendance notices for a range of offences.
“We know the vast majority of truck drivers and transport operators are doing the right thing and putting safety first, but until long-term cultural change can be effected, police and Roads and Maritime Services will continue to keep up with their compliance and enforcement activities,” Gallacher says.
During Operation Canuck, officers checked the electronic control modules of 304 trucks and found that one truck was modified so that it could travel up to 150km/h.
Police last week detected a B-double in Tarcutta travelling 129km/h in a 100km/h zone. Police allege the speed limiter had been tampered with.
The 49-year-old driver was issued with a traffic infringement notice for speeding and his vehicle was defected.
Authorities have made gains in improving heavy vehicle compliance since beginning a series of compliance operations in last year, with the rate of trucks caught travelling at more than 105km/h falling by 79 percent.
RMS General Manager of Compliance and Enforcement Paul Endycott says says the department wants to begin homing in on the minority of truck drivers and operators continuing to ignore traffic laws.
“We don’t want to see you if you’re doing the right thing. I don’t want my inspectors on the side of the road stopping you and delaying you. We want you to get on with it,” Endycott says.
