Joint NSW Police and RMS inspection finds defects in 10-vehicle fleet
A transport company has been blitzed following a crash at Fairy Meadow, near Wollongong, on Monday, November 5.
The inspection came after a driver lost control of a rigid flat-bed truck, travelling through a roundabout at the Old Mount Ousley Road and Princes Highway intersection, and crashing into cars through a MacDonald’s restaurant parking lot.
A 57-year-old woman was taken to Wollongong Hospital with suspected broken ribs, while the 23-year-old male driver was also taken to hospital with back injuries and had a mandatory blood sample obtained, NSW Police reports.
NSW Police officers and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) inspectors conducted compliance checks on the company’s 10 heavy vehicles at the RMS Wetherill Park Inspection Station.
All the vehicles received defect notices, which ranged from defective brakes and bald tyres to seatbelt issues.
In particular, the sanction related to two unsafe vehicles being allowed to drive on roads – the one involved in the crash was reported to have faulty brakes.
While the truck contained a DSE Trucks logo, the company tells Owner//Driver that the incident didn’t involve its own fleet. Rather, the vehicle belonged to an independent contractor – Hari Om Transport – carrying the DSE logo.
DSE confirmed to Owner//Driver that it had suspended its services with the contractor pending a full investigation.
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RMS director of compliance Roger Weeks emphasises that “there is nowhere to hide for rogue truck operators”.
“The results are a reminder that while most operators are doing the right thing, some are willing to risk the lives of people on our roads,” Weeks says.
“All of these examples are a serious incident waiting to happen, which is why we will continue to work with the NSW Police to weed out those who are either unwilling or unable to do the right thing.
“Safety will always be our highest priority and we will continue to work with industry to ensure compliance levels can be lifted and systemic safety failures are stamped out.
“But make no mistake, if they are found to be breaching the law, Roads and Maritime will ensure they are held accountable for their actions with the full force of the law.”
Traffic and Highway Patrol Command acting assistant commissioner Julie Middlemiss says there is no place for unsafe vehicles on roads.
“We will continue to work with Roads and Maritime Inspectors to inspect trucks that are on our road and issue defect notices and infringements to any owner or operator that is using an unsafe truck or dangerous driver,” Middlemiss says.
“Authorities make no apologies for issuing sanctions against drivers and operators that think it’s okay to put people’s lives at risk by cutting corners when it comes to safety.”