In October 2025, the NTC published consultation drafts of its draft HVNL standards. The standards put in place more detail about the planned changes to NHVAS.
The changes will only affect accredited operators, who will be required to have safety management systems that meet what is called the SMS Standard.
The ATA submission on the drafts argues that operators in TruckSafe should be deemed to comply with the standard.
TruckSafe is the first and only industry-led safety management system. It has always been recognised for being robust and changed over to a full safety management system in 2024.
The submission also argues that:
- the draft audit standard should be rewritten and restructured
- auditors should continue to have relevant technical competencies or have someone with those skills on their audit team
- the existing two consecutive audit rule should be retained, and
- the NHVR should have more flexibility to approve alternative compliance hours.