Generic tyres in PBS have arrived

As of 1 December 2022, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) implemented generic tyres into the Performance Based Standards (PBS) scheme. There has been a three-month transitional period between the old tyre system and new tyre system, and from 1 March 2023, only the new system will be in use.

Gone are the days when operators would have to pour over complex lists or matrices of tyres, hoping that they could find a tyre option that they could source from their tyre supplier.

The new approach to tyres, known as the generic tyre approach, allows PBS Assessors to specify a minimum tyre load rating on PBS Design Approvals. PBS operators will be permitted to fit any tyre on their vehicles, provided that this minimum tyre load rating is met. The NHVR has committed to grandfathering every existing Design Approval into the generic tyre approach, and will provide a generic tyre list to any operator upon request.

The old approach to tyres required that every different tyre model go through a testing process, posing an additional cost to tyre manufacturers and distributors who wished to sell tyres to PBS operators.

The new generic tyre approach was developed over many years of consultation and investigation into a variety of different potential solutions. Input from was provided by a wide variety of bodies, including the Australian Tyre Industry Council, Truck Industry Council, Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia, and the Australian Trucking Association. The NHVR also hosted many information sessions for industry to help explain the new tyre system in the lead up to its implementation.

There will be some turmoil as Design Approvals completed over the last decade with the old tyre system are grandfathered into the new system, especially those which relied upon top-end high performance tyres. Even so, many of Advantia’s clients have expressed their support of the new system, citing the flexibility and simplicity as key features that will aid their business operations, which Advantia has assisted with in adding the generic tyre options to their PBS assessments. Further, Advantia has updated and refreshed its own PBS assessment blueprints to be compatible with the PBS generic tyre.

For more information, see the information sheet from the NHVR.

Alternatively, Contact Advantia if you would like to investigate PBS opportunities for your business and how PBS generic tyres can be integrated into your PBS operations.