PBS tops 10,000 Combinations

The Performance Based Standards (PBS) scheme recently celebrated 10,000 innovative heavy vehicle combinations hitting Australian roads, helping improve safety and productivity.

The milestone of 10,000 combinations was a highlight of the third annual joint report released this week by the NHVR and Australian Road Transport Suppliers Association Institute (ARTSA -i) on the Australian PBS fleet.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the report demonstrates the success of the PBS scheme, which has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2008.

“PBS-approved combinations now make up one-in-five new relevant vehicle types — vehicles with a corresponding PBS combination — more than double that of five years ago,” Mr Petroccitto said.

“This increase has led to improved safety outcomes, such as 46 per cent fewer crashes when compared with conventional vehicles, and productivity gains of up to 30 per cent by reducing truck trips on our roads.

“The continued growth of the PBS scheme shows industry’s appetite for more modern technology, and the desire to be safer and more innovative operators.

“Collectively, going forward we need to ensure governments make concerted efforts to provide the supporting access certainty to encourage the use of these safer and more innovative vehicles on the road network.”

ARTSA Institute’s Chair Martin Toomey said the PBS scheme was helping to accelerate the renewal of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.

“The median age of PBS vehicles is 4.3 years compared to over 12 years for the entire heavy vehicle fleet,” Mr Toomey said.

“Newer vehicles have access to more modern braking and safety technology, cleaner engines, and fewer maintenance issues compared to older vehicles. They also have a high Australian build content and generate more work for Australian industry.

“Encouraging the uptake of PBS vehicles can make our roads safer for everyone.”

The Performance Based Standards - Australia’s PBS fleet 2020 (PDF, 1.7MB) report shows:

>> One in five relevant new heavy vehicles manufactured in 2019 were PBS approved.
>> In the last five years, new PBS combination approvals have doubled, while the heavy vehicle market has grown by 20 per cent over the same period.
>> The median age of PBS vehicles is 4.3 years compared to over 12 years for the entire heavy vehicle fleet.
>> Around 60 per cent of the new PBS approved combinations are towed by prime movers — a 12 per cent increase from 2018.
>> PBS vehicles have more than 80 per cent market share in the four-axle and above dog trailer market.

For more information on the PBS scheme click here.