Are our road authorities working hard enough for us?

Are our road authorities working hard enough for us?

One statement that seems to pop up more than any other in my conversations with Australia’s road authorities goes something like this: “Parts of our 26-metre B-double network don’t meet all of the minimum geometric requirements for Level 2A classification under the PBS Network Classification Guidelines.” This is usually followed by commentary about insufficient lane… Read more »

Expert in High Productivity Freight Vehicles joins Advantia

Expert in High Productivity Freight Vehicles joins Advantia

Advantia is pleased to announce the appointment of former VicRoads staffer Victor Trumper as Senior Consultant. While some in the industry may not know Victor, many will be familiar with the high-profile outcomes of his work while employed by VicRoads. Of most importance to Advantia’s clients are the Victorian High Productivity Freight Vehicle (HPFV) networks… Read more »

Further expansion of the NHVR’s PBS pre-advised system

Further expansion of the NHVR’s PBS pre-advised system

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has just announced that as of 29 January 2018, the Performance Based Standards (PBS) pre-advised system of fast-tracking new Design Approval applications has been expanded. Advantia has previously written about why the pre-advised system has been hugely beneficial for reducing turn-around times in processing certain types of PBS Design… Read more »

NHVR releases PBS stats

NHVR releases PBS stats

Earlier this month the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) released new figures on growth of the Performance Based Standards (PBS) Scheme. The statistics speak volumes on how PBS is fast becoming the preferred framework under which new Australian heavy vehicles operate. In 2017, 20-25 per cent of all new heavy vehicles were PBS approved. In… Read more »

The rebirth of Level 1 meaning General Access

The rebirth of Level 1 meaning General Access

Advantia has previously written about how the equivalency of PBS Level 1 and General Access was broken as a result of implementing the Heavy Vehicle National Law. Australian transport ministers recently approved PBS Level 1 combinations up to 42.5 tonnes GCM for automatic General Access, pending Queensland parliamentary approval of the new legislation. This is… Read more »

Benefits of the PBS Scheme quantified by NTC

Benefits of the PBS Scheme quantified by NTC

The National Transport Commission (NTC) recently published a discussion paper titled “Assessing the effectiveness of the PBS marketplace.” The purpose of the discussion paper was to determine if the PBS Scheme was meeting the original policy intent, to evaluate the effectiveness of the approval processes and to suggest any improvements that could help benefit all… Read more »

South African PBS project hailed a success

South African PBS project hailed a success

Paul Nordengen, Vice President (Africa) of the International Forum for Road Transport Technology (IFRTT) recently published a statement outlining the success of the Performance Based Standards (PBS) pilot project in South Africa. Paul’s statement is reproduced below: The Performance-based standards (PBS) pilot project officially started in South Africa in Nov 2007 with the commissioning of… Read more »

Answers to some recent PBS FAQs

Answers to some recent PBS FAQs

Q: Is there such a thing as a PBS-approved tyre? A: It is a common misconception that a tyre may be ‘PBS-approved’, and therefore be allowed to be used on any heavy vehicle combinations that are approved under the PBS Scheme. When specific tyres are listed on a PBS Design Approval, they are applicable to… Read more »

PBS Review Panel fast-tracks truck and dog Design Approvals

PBS Review Panel fast-tracks truck and dog Design Approvals

A recent trial of the new Performance Based Standards (PBS) ‘pre-advised’ Design Approval process is now reaching its sixth month of implementation. Under a new National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) procedure, 3- and 4-axle dog trailers towed by 3-axle trucks can enjoy a quicker, streamlined process that bypasses the PBS Review Panel. Instead, these specific… Read more »

New Cubic Freight (HPFV) network announced in Victoria

New Cubic Freight (HPFV) network announced in Victoria

Some great news has recently been announced for operators of Higher Productivity Freight Vehicles (HPFVs) in Victoria. VicRoads announced this month that 30-metre PBS-approved combinations will now be able to access a significant portion of the arterial road network provided the gross combination mass does not exceed 68.5 tonnes. “Operators with combinations up to 30.0… Read more »