Some grey nomads driving large rigs are not sure whether they are required to pull in at heavy vehicle inspection bays along certain roads … but it’s not a call you want to get wrong.
Motorhomer Kelvin John White, 52, of Ploughmans Lane, Orange, New South Wales, has just been hit in the hip pocket after being sentenced for not stopping at the bays when required to do so.
The Central Western Daily newspaper reports that the former trucker failed to pull his 8.7 tonne Isuzu motorhome into safety stations at Mt Boyce on the Great Western Highway or Mt White.
Magistrate David Day said White blissfully drove to the coast and up the mountains in a vehicle that’s ‘well and truly one that should go into the heavy vehicle safety station’.
“It requires a fine, he knows what a safety station looks like and he’s driving more than a small two-tonne Winnebago,” he said. “He doesn’t have infringement notices of this kind but he does have some infringements.”
According to the Central Western Daily, prosecuting solicitor Kim Rickard said the offences all related to the same modified vehicle, which White has been driving since 2012.
“Having modified it and driven it throughout New South Wales it previously had never been brought to his attention, it is required to divert with trucks,” Mr Rickard said.
White’s solicitor Paul Longhurst said it’s the first time his client has been in trouble for not stopping a heavy vehicle in a safety station.
“He’s driven heavy trucks for 30-odd years, in regard to his record there’s nothing serious in regard to heavy trucks,” Mr Longhurst said. “Ignorance is not a defence but that’s what it is … he says he won’t do it again.”
White, who is currently travelling interstate, was fined $110 for each matter plus a total of $825 in prosecution costs.
There are nine Heavy Vehicle Safety Stations (HVSS) In New South Wales, with six of them requiring vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of over eight tonnes to enter, and three requiring vehicles with a GVM of greater than 4.5 tonnes to enter.
The HVSS are located at: Mt Boyce (Great Western Highway); Mt White (northbound and southbound on the M1 Motorway); Marulan (northbound and southbound on the Hume Highway; Twelve Mile Creek (Pacific Highway); Chinderah (Pacific Highway); Pine Creek (Pacific Highway); Halfway Creek (Pacific Highway); Bell (Bells Line of Road; and Kankool (New England Highway).
The Roads and Maritime Services says all heavy vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) greater than eight tonnes are required to enter a HVSS (except Chinderah, Pine Creek and Halfway Creek – 4.5 tonnes).
“These vehicles must enter a HVSS to ensure the vehicle meets safety and roadworthiness standards and that their drivers are complying with road transport laws,” it said. “Failing to enter a HVSS when directed and/or disobeying a ‘Trucks must enter’ sign may result in a fine.”
Pulled in twice (5t Jayco Motorhome) at NSW 4.5 signed inspection stations. Waved on but stopped anyway and spoke to officers. Told “we have been instructed to not inspect you guys” I asked “what would happen if I dont pull in” told “Nothing, we would not chase you”
I have a converted 40ft bus and have been told exactly the same as you. But at weigh stations with drive through bays such as Mt White both directions Marullan both directions 12 mile Sth Bound. If you fail to go through it is photographed and goes straight to Sydney then you are summoned. The weighbridge operaters have no control over this action. I know this personally.
We have pulled into same in our LWB Coaster, 4990 GVM but have always been waved thru.
I have been instructed in WA that we have no right to pull into inspection bays as it was only for commercial vehicles not motor homes. One State it illegal to pull in and in others illegal not to pull in. I am confused.
So this would apply to a tug and caravan with a GVM between 4.5 and 6 tonnes, on the stations listed.
No. That would be a gross combined mass GCM. This article refers to GVM, ie, the gross mass of the vehicle.
I drive an F250. GVM 4532kg, Towing, CGVM 9000 kg. I would have to pull in, but do I need a Log Book?
Do you have a hc license???. Any thing 9 tone or more on the trailer and 19 meters in length you need a hc license. You wot need a log book cause your not over 12 tones gvm
Gvm is your lead vehicle cvm is your towing vehicle.
Btw old mate being a trucker for years should of known better. Im amazed he got off lightly.
So if yo9u have a pan that is rated at 4.5 ton on the rego papers, you can just drive straight past any of these inspection stations? or so you still need to go through?
is It 4.5 ton and over or above 4.5 ton hard one that I would get it under 4.5 ton to be confident on not pulling in.
Does anyone know if the fines come with demerit points, mate gone through the weight plate but was redirected back to highway, and he got a fine a month after, saying he didnt go into the inspection station. So if anyone knows if these fines come with demerit points or where i can get that info would greatly be appreciated. Thankyou
I pulled into a mobile one a couple of weeks ago and the inspector said I was not required to comply with the stopping at weight stations as my bus is registered as a motorhome… gvm is 7.9 tons… I did not stop at the next one and have not heard anything for 3 weeks!
I failed to pull in to one of the automated ones. I didnt realise if it wasnt manned you had to stop and got a notice. I think best to pull into all and then let them decide
What was the notice? Any fine? I saw it wasn’t manned, so drove by. But then heard on two way that it was cameras only, so was I supposed to drive through the camera even though no one was there? I drove out West Qld and in the desert on SA, so have no idea about these types of weigh stations. I would gladly have driven through the slip lane with the camera if I had have known anything about them.
It would be great to get a definitive answer on this one.