ARTSA-NHVR report shows sustained fleet growth and crashes fall
Australia’s appetite for modern technology that matches heavy vehicles to a specific task has grown to 17 per cent of all new heavy vehicles, according to a new report released today.
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) CEO Sal Petroccitto says Performance Base Standards – Australia’s PBS Fleet, a joint report by the Australian Road Transport Suppliers Association (ARTSA) and the NHVR into the Performance Based Standards (PBS) scheme, shows the significant penetration of PBS-approved vehicles into the national market.
“The PBS scheme has developed into a world-leading program for which the entire Australian heavy vehicle industry can be very proud,” Petroccitto says.
“It’s led to improved safety outcomes such as 46 per cent fewer crashes than conventional vehicles, per kilometres travelled and major productivity gains – saving more than 320 million truck kilometres travelled on Australian roads between 2014 and 2017.”
The joint ARTSA-NHVR report titled shows:
- 60 trailer manufacturers and 22 truck manufacturers have built a PBS-approved unit in the past decade
- 17 per cent of new heavy vehicles manufactured in 2017 were PBS approved
- 55 per cent of all PBS approved combinations are truck and dogs
- the median age of the PBS fleet is 3.6 years, compared to average age of the heavy vehicle fleet at 12.2 years.
ARTSA chairman Dr Peter Hart says the data showed what can be achieved when manufacturers, government and operators work closely together.
“The fact that almost one-in-six heavy vehicles manufactured in 2017 is PBS is a credit to our industry’s willingness to embrace new technology and designs,” Hart says.
The organisations view the design, manufacture and operation of a PBS vehicle as involving a considerable investment but, despite that, increasing numbers of operators are buying in “because the benefits that PBS vehicles deliver to their business warrants that additional investment”.
“PBS is a good example of regulators setting clear parameters for industry to follow and allowing industry to do the rest. There are clear winners all round from this process including safety and environmental benefits for the community and performance benefits for industry,” Petroccitto says.
In the report, ARTSA and the NHVR say they want to see further barriers removed that potentially limit this innovation to ensure future generations of PBS vehicles are safer, cleaner and even more productive.
They believe that the current scheme framework can be improved to ensure future growth and fully support a current National Transport Commission (NTC) review of the scheme” to ensure the next 10 years of the PBS story are as successful as the past decade”.
The full report and more information on PBS can be found here.