Company AS 67541: fined $13,000, mass, 4 August 2026

Party

Party

Company AS 67541. The NHVR publishes court outcomes without the defendant's name.

Type

Company

Role

Role not stated

Reference

AS 67541

The proceeding

Decision

Convicted

Court

Coffs Harbour Local Court (Local or Magistrates)

Jurisdiction

New South Wales

Hearing date

4 August 2026

Law

Heavy Vehicle National Law

Provisions

s 96(1)(c)

Offence

Mass

Charges

1

Facts

On 1 April 2026, a heavy vehicle operated by the defendant company was stopped for a compliance inspection at the Halfway Creek Inspection Station. Inspectors found the vehicle's steer axle exceeded the permitted weight by 1.32 tonnes (120%). The company pleaded guilty to one offence. In mitigation, the company submitted that it had mass management systems and processes in place and that the driver and loading personnel had been counselled following the incident. The Court noted that the defendant company has a bad record. The Court placed the offence at the mid-range of objective seriousness. The vehicle had no weigh scale fitted, and was also over mass on its gross mass. This offence meant that the Company was in breach of a CRO from Wollongong Local Court that was handed down earlier this year. Strong need for specific and general deterrence.

As reported by NHVR.

Penalty

Fine

$13,000

Fines under s 96(1)(c) on the register: $750 to $60,000, median $10,000 across 85 matters.

Educational point

Mass compliance is a shared responsibility. Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, every party in the Chain of Responsibility involved in consigning, packing, loading, scheduling or operating a heavy vehicle has an obligation to ensure the vehicle does not exceed legal mass limits. Steer axle overloads are a serious safety risk. Excessive weight on the steer axle can reduce steering performance, increase tyre and component failures, and adversely affect vehicle stability and braking. Mass management systems must be effective in practice. Having policies and procedures is not enough. Businesses should ensure their systems are implemented, monitored and regularly reviewed to prevent overloading. Pre-departure checks are essential. Drivers and loading personnel should verify axle weights before a vehicle enters the road network, particularly where the load distribution may affect individual axle masses. Training and supervision should be ongoing. Drivers, loaders and supervisors should receive regular training on axle mass limits, load distribution and compliance obligations, with appropriate supervision to ensure procedures are followed. Investigate and address non-compliance. Where an overload occurs, businesses should identify the root cause, implement corrective actions and monitor their effectiveness to prevent recurrence. A guilty plea and post-incident counselling do not remove liability. While corrective action after an incident may be considered in sentencing, it does not excuse a failure to comply with mass requirements.

As reported by NHVR.

Comparable actions

Sources

• NHVR: Court outcomes (read 14 October 2026)