Truckies could be seen actively being stopped by police along Windsor Road, Box Hill, this morning, as part of a month-long operation testing for drugs and non-compliance of heavy vehicles across Australia and New Zealand.
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Operation Austrans began on May 18 and involves officers from the Joint Traffic Taskforce, comprising the NSW Police Force Traffic and Highway Patrol Command working alongside Roads & Maritime Services inspectors, who are also observing load restraint.
As of Tuesday, 30 of 1941 truck drivers stopped had tested positive to drugs and more than 1200 defect notices had been issued in NSW.
Traffic and Highway Patrol officers inspected 12,388 heavy vehicles, ranging from small rigid local trucks to interstate b-doubles.
They issued 1240 defect notices, including 53 for non-compliant engine control modules (allowing trucks to travel at speeds of more than 100kmph) as well as brake, ancillary equipment and body and chassis faults.
“Any tampering with trucks, incorrect and unrestrained loading, driving fatigued, while under the influence of drugs or alcohol or exceeding the speed limit is violation of the law,’’ Traffic and Highway Patrol Command’s Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said.
‘‘Police officers are out in force to make sure that those offenders are stopped for the safety of the entire community.’’
■ Anyone with information about non-compliance of heavy vehicles is urged to call Crime Stoppers.