Victorian heavy vehicles initiative focuses on rural areas
Victorian roads authority VicRoads is pushing ahead with a strategy to entice rural trucking to do its own vehicle weighing to stay compliant.
Heavy vehicle drivers can now proactively check the weight of their loads at self-service VicRoads weighbridges on key rural freight routes.
The modified weighbridges on the Western Highway at Bungaree and Leigh Creek, Murray Valley Highway at Kerang and Sturt Highway at Merbein South feature external digital displays.
VicRoads introduced the first self-service weighbridge on the Hume Freeway at Broadford last year and will modify additional sites in the future.
Five have been rolled out so far and, though VicRoads says it is too early to gauge properly their use, a spokesperson says it has anecdotal evidence that the north-bound Broadford facility is proving popular and that drivers of all sorts were using it.
These routes are among Australia’s busiest freight corridors carrying over 500,000 heavy vehicles per year, the state road authority says.
The free VicRoads initiative allows drivers to check that their vehicles comply with mass regulations and to make necessary adjustments to avoid penalties or potential damage to vehicles and roads.
Non-commercial drivers can also use the sites to check the weight of their vehicle and any trailer, boat or caravan.
VicRoads heavy vehicle services director Eric Henderson says drivers are encouraged to use the weighbridges to proactively check the weight of their vehicle and load.
“We know from working closely with the trucking industry that when carting an unfamiliar load it can be difficult to judge the new combined weight,” Henderson says.
“We want operators to know that these sites are available for self-service checks when not being operated by VicRoads and Victoria Police officers.
“If a driver discovers they exceed mass limits during a self-check, then they can take steps immediately to fix any load discrepancy.”
Overloaded vehicles not only cause damage to roads but can also affect vehicle safety by causing excessive wear on brakes, steering and suspension components.