New head for NHVR

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has appointed Mr Sal Petroccitto as the organisation's new Chief Executive Officer

Following the resignation of Richard Hancock in March, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has appointed Sal Petroccitto as its new Chief Executive Officer.

It is anticipated that Mr Petroccitto will formerly begin in role on May 19, when he will take the reins from the NHVR’s Acting CEO and Chief Financial Officer, Ms Melinda Bailey.

Mr Petroccitto brings with him a wealth of transport industry knowledge. He is currently the General Manager (Roads, Rail and Ports System Management) with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, in addition to being the Queensland Government representative on the NHVR Project Implementation Board and the Board of Transport Certification Australia.

He’ll need every bit of that experience as he steps up to head the NHVR, which has been under intense scrutiny since the introduction of the Heavy Vehicle National Law on February 10, 2014.

The transition to the NHVR’s proclaimed ‘one-stop shop’ for heavy vehicle permit applications was anything but smooth, the teething troubles seeing waiting times for permits for over-size and over-mass loads blow out significantly.

As a result, the NHVR was forced to call upon state authorities in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT, and South Australia, to assist it with permit processing for OSOM and SPV (special-purpose vehicles) loads to be carried solely within those respective states.

These temporary measures, introduced around 10 days after the introduction of the HVNL, are still in effect.

The NHVR’s previous CEO, Mr Hancock, resigned just over a month after the introduction of the HVNL, citing personal and family health reasons.

The Australian Trucking Association has welcomed Mr Petroccitto to the role, while highlighting the challenges that lie ahead. The ATA’s Chief Executive, Stuart St Clair, said Mr Petroccitto was well positioned to tackle the problems with which the NHVR is faced.

“Mr Petroccitto is currently Queensland’s representative on the NHVR Project Implementation Board, so he’s well across the issues facing the regulator,” he said.

“The ATA supports the NHVR because we believe it will increase the industry’s productivity and safety over time.

“Mr Petroccitto will need, however, to focus on getting the NHVR’s systems right, and particularly the way it manages heavy vehicle permits.

“The ATA looks forward to working with Mr Petroccitto in his new role.”

New head for NHVR

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