Trucking operators are being asked to rate the service they receive when making heavy vehicle access applications
July 16, 2013
Trucking operators are being asked to rate the level of service they receive when making heavy vehicle access applications.
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), which will take over responsibility for issuing permits on September 1, has asked the industry to complete a survey to help the agency work out what needs to be done to improve the system.
The NHVR uploaded the survey to its website yesterday and has given stakeholders until July 29 to complete it.
“We are focusing on heavy vehicle access first as it is one of the prime areas where gains will be made in shifting to one single national regulator,” NHVR CEO Richard Hancock says.
“It’s important that people let us know what is working well and what could work better, so we can identify where improvements can be made and establish what our performance standards should be.”
The NHVR will become the single point of contact for access applications from September, and Hancock says the regulator wants to make sure it delivers a quality service.
“Consultation is a core element of our operations and we will continue to speak to industry groups and operators directly to shape our customer service into the future,” he says.
The NHVR says the new arrangement for access applications will deliver significant cost savings because operators will only need to make one application with one fee to a single point of contact. The NHVR will then liaise with all relevant road managers to get a response to the application.
Applications will be assessed to specific criteria as opposed to the differing standards currently in place in the states and the territories.
The NHVR says it will publish details later this month on how the new system works and the differences to current jurisdiction processes.
The new permit arrangements will not apply in Western Australia, which will retain its existing system.
