The NHVR was established in 2013 to be the single, national regulator of heavy vehicles in Australia, and to apply and enforce the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL). All states and territories—with the exception of the Northern Territory and Western Australia—have adopted the HVNL as the single rule book for heavy vehicles.
Over the past few years—through the National Services Transition (NST) program—the NHVR has been working closely with states and territories to transition delivery of the majority of our frontline heavy vehicle regulatory services enabling a more streamlined approach to service delivery, compliance, and enforcement, and a greater degree of consistency in how heavy vehicles are regulated.
The NST program has successfully transitioned heavy vehicle regulatory services in the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales.
The NHVR’s aim is to have a consistent approach to compliance and enforcement from the roadside to interventions, have borderless operations and build the capability to deliver timely, national responses to critical compliance issues.
Transition of Queensland heavy vehicle services from TMR to NHVR
On the 20th April, the NHVR became Australia’s single national regulator, with heavy vehicle safety services from Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) transferring to the NHVR.
From this date the NHVR will be responsible for providing heavy vehicle on-road compliance and enforcement, and Programmed Vehicle Inspections (PVI) services in Queensland. These regulatory services will transition to the NHVR from TMR. This change is part of a nationally consistent approach to compliance and enforcement activities for heavy vehicles.
The heavy vehicle industry can expect to see the NHVR’s Safety and Compliance Officers (SCOs) working roadside and at vehicle inspection sites across Queensland, including in the far north and western areas of the state.
These officers have authority to stop heavy vehicles and check the vehicle, operator, and driver are complying with the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and other state-based laws. This includes checking compliance with heavy vehicle driver licensing, registration, and road rules. On-road compliance, investigations, prosecutions and programmed heavy vehicle inspections will be some of the services currently provided by TMR to transfer across to the NHVR.
For more information, see:
- NHVR Queensland compliance transition brochure (PDF, 485KB)
- NHVR Queensland fleet bookings information (PDF, 267KB)
What else is changing?
Branding
The NHVR SCOs will be easily recognisable by their distinctive uniforms, badges, and vehicles. The rebranding of vehicles may take several weeks, however irrespective of the vehicle branding, drivers and operators must comply with the lawful directions of NHVR authorised officers.
Functions
From 20 April 2024, the NHVR will be responsible for:
- Providing information and education to industry to promote compliance with the HVNL.
- On-road monitoring of heavy vehicle compliance with mass, dimension, load restraint, vehicle standards, access conditions, driver fatigue and work diaries, requirements for the transportation of dangerous goods and explosives, driver licensing and registration.
- Issuing infringements and undertaking prosecutions for serious offences.
- Issuing defect notices to heavy vehicles that do not comply with safety standards.
- Investigating offences, including Chain of Responsibility (CoR) offences.
- Collecting and analysing data relating to heavy vehicle movements.
- Monitoring and responding to non-compliance with the Intelligent Access Program (IAP).
- Carrying out PVIs and supervised weighs.
Programmed Vehicle Inspection delivery
The NHVR will provide PVIs in Queensland from the transition date, including at regional and remote PVI locations.
You can continue to book a PVI (excluding fleet bookings) through the existing TMR channels.
From transition (20 April), to explore options to organise a fleet booking please call the NHVR Contact Centre 13 NHVR (13 64 87).
What will stay the same?
TMR will continue to be directly responsible for delivering regulatory and compliance programs for:
- tow truck accreditation and tow trucks
- auditing schemes and accredited persons
- passenger transport operator and driver authorisations and accreditation
- road manager functions
- sale of the National Work Diary (NWD)
- taxis
- vehicles under 4.5t GVM.
What are the benefits of the transition?
The transition of Queensland services will streamline the delivery of heavy vehicle regulation for industry and will improve regulatory outcomes and safety.
As the national regulator, the NHVR will provide nationally consistent education, enforcement methods and resources, and will undertake more complex CoR and primary duty investigations into duty holders across the supply chain.
By assuming responsibility for heavy vehicle safety services, the NHVR is able to establish a safer road network not only in Queensland, but across the nation.
On transition, the Northern Region will be created and will join Central and Southern Regions in leading on-road operational service delivery.
