How To Ensure Your Truck Meets Roadworthy Standards?

All vehicles require safety inspections to ensure there are no defects that could lead to mechanical breakdown or accidents that could cause injury.

This is no exception with heavy vehicles in Queensland, and there are many boxes you need to tick to ensure that your truck is compliant. The rules are more stringent for heavy vehicles than regular passenger vehicles, and you could be subject to a random inspection at checkpoints around the country.

In this article, we will outline all the requirements so you can ensure your truck is safe and compliant at all times.

Heavy Vehicles Like Trucks Need To Be Inspected Annually

To keep your heavy vehicle registered, you must annually obtain a Heavy Vehicle Inspection Scheme (HVIS) certificate.

An HVIS inspection is required for nearly all classes of heavy vehicles registered in NSW. Depending on the type of vehicle and its use, checks may be conducted at a Heavy Vehicle Authorised Inspection Station (HVAIS) or by Roads and Maritime Services.

The mandatory inspection applies to the following types of vehicles:

A heavy vehicle, truck, road train, semi-trailer, and any other vehicle weighing 4.5 tonnes and more
Drivers who need a defect notice cleared before driving
A trailer with an aggregate trailer mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes
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A public weighbridge is a good place to visit before your inspection if you don't know the weight of your vehicle or if it has changed recently.

Under the Vehicle Safety Compliance Certification Scheme (VSCCS), A licensee must inspect your vehicle if you've made significant modifications to it or it is nonstandard or personally imported.

Cranes manufactured for heavy-duty use or cranes mounted on trucks with a GVM over 12 tonnes also require an HVIS and must be inspected by an Authorised Crane Inspection Station.

What Are The Requirements To Pass An HVIS?

Heavy vehicles, including trucks, road trains and semi-trailers, are covered under the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual (NHVIM) to ensure compliance in all states and territories, including New South Wales.

Any vehicle with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) or aggregate trailer mass (ATM) of over 4.5 tonnes is subject to the NHVIM. Because many trucks and heavy vehicles travel interstate regularly, compliance must be standard across all borders.

It means that inspectors and operators have access to the same standards and criteria used to inspect vehicles across the nation. For example, you can view the NHVIM here to get a comprehensive list of all items that will be assessed to ensure your truck is roadworthy.

How Can I Prepare For My Annual HVIS?

To ensure your heavy vehicle is fully compliant, come and visit the team at BITR Enterprises for a complete inspection and quality, affordable replacement parts to help you stay on the road safely and with the correct government requirements.

In addition to our workshop in Unanderra, we have a fleet of mobile service vehicles serving the Illawarra, Southern Highlands, Shellharbour, Wollongong, Canberra and Sydney regions, with technicians who have years of experience, extensive training and specialist transport knowledge.

Contact our team or call us on 02 4231 4143 for all of your servicing, maintenance, repairs and inspection requirements and get specialised treatment for your heavy vehicle.

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