Company lands in court after truck is 68 centimetres too long

Connell Trading PTY LTD pleaded guilty to drive/permit not comply with dimension requirements in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday, April 10.

Documents tendered to the court say on Monday, April 24, 2023 authorised officers of the National Heavy Vechicle Regulator (NHVR) saw a Kenworth Prime Mover towing a trailer on the Hume Highway in Marulan, NSW.

The authorised officers intercepted the vehicle and spoke to the driver before inspecting the truck, its components and its load.

A registration extract confirmed the vehicle was registered to Connell Trading and the driver told the officers the person who told him to drive was the owner.

Heavy Vehicle National Law and Regulations requires the person who permits another to drive a heavy vehicle, ensure the vehicle, its components and load comply with the dimension requirements applying to the vehicle.

The driver of the truck was permitted to drive from Mount Druitt to Goulburn - an 181-kilometre, two-hour trip.

The vehicle was loaded with stock feed and should only be 19 metres long.

When measured it showed the vehicle was 19.680 metres long, which NHVR officers said was a "severe risk breach".

The driver of the truck said he received his instructions to drive the vehicle over the phone by his boss.

He told officers he didn't measure the length of the truck because he was unaware if there was a tape measure available by the operator.

Connell Trading's solicitor told the court it was a small business - a husband and wife team - and it was the first offence of this nature they have ever had.

"A new employee who had just come back hooked up the wrong trailer," he said.

"My client himself had to go to the checking station with another truck, swap trucks and drive out of there."

Magistrate Gary Wilson sentenced Connell Trading to a 12 month conditional release order without conviction.