No Fleet Manager wants to see one of their vehicles on the side of the road, or worse, involved in an incident caused by a preventable fault. Yet the 2024 National Roadworthiness Survey conducted by the NHVR is a sobering reminder of the risks we face across the heavy vehicle fleet in Australia.
The NHVR inspected over 9,000 vehicles and combinations nationally, and found that 33% of units had at least one non-conformity — a slight increase from 31% in 2021. The most common faults? Brakes, lights and reflectors, structure and body, engine driveline and exhaust, and steering and suspension.
If the national regulator — conducting targeted, professional inspections — can find faults in one third of heavy vehicles on the road, it begs an important question: what’s the risk profile in your fleet if you don’t have a strong Maintenance Management System (MMS)?
Maintenance — The Foundation of Fleet Safety
Maintenance is the frontline defence for fleet safety. A sound MMS ensures that every vehicle is systematically inspected, serviced and repaired according to both manufacturer recommendations and operational risk.
Without this discipline, the risk of unsafe vehicles dramatically increases. Defects can go unnoticed or unrecorded, minor issues can escalate into major failures, and the likelihood of regulatory breaches grows.
The NHVR data makes it clear that even with modern vehicles and strong safety frameworks, risks persist. The survey found that 14% of units had brake faults, and 10% had issues with lights and reflectors — both critical safety components.
For local government and utility fleets, which often operate in both urban and regional environments with diverse vehicle types, these risks are magnified. If your MMS is weak, you may already be operating with a higher defect rate than you realise.
High Utilisation Requires High Reliability
A strong MMS also underpins utilisation. Vehicles that are frequently sidelined with unscheduled repairs cannot deliver the services your community expects — whether that’s rubbish collection, road maintenance, or parks upkeep.
An effective MMS ensures:
- Scheduled maintenance is prioritised and tracked.
- Defect reports from drivers are logged and actioned quickly.
- Preventative maintenance is conducted at optimal intervals to minimise breakdowns.
- Workshop performance is monitored to ensure repair quality and turnaround.
By driving down unplanned downtime, your fleet can deliver higher levels of service, support efficient operations, and reduce costs.
The NHVR survey data supports this. One of the key learnings from industry is that fleets participating in formal maintenance schemes or rigorous internal programs tend to demonstrate better roadworthiness outcomes.
The Cost of Poor Maintenance
Beyond safety and utilisation, poor maintenance drives up operating costs:
- Fuel efficiency suffers when vehicles run with worn components.
- Tyre wear increases when suspension or steering issues are left unchecked.
- Breakdowns incur expensive emergency repairs and towing.
- Insurance premiums and public liability risks escalate with a poor defect record.
- Compliance penalties under Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) are a real risk if the fleet is not maintained to standard.
By contrast, a well-run MMS reduces whole-of-life costs and supports budget certainty.
The Case for Proactive Investment
If the NHVR can find faults in 1 in 3 heavy vehicles nationwide — many operated by large commercial and well-resourced fleets — the risks for smaller or less mature fleet operations are even higher.
That’s why Maintenance Management Systems will be a focus of the IPWEA Fleet Management Training Days rolling out in the back half of 2025. We’ll help Fleet Managers step back from the day-to-day and review their MMS holistically — identifying where processes, technology, and culture can be strengthened.
Now is the time to ask yourself: Is our Maintenance Management System strong enough? If not, your fleet may be one defect away from the next compliance issue — or worse.
In fleet management, there’s no room for complacency on maintenance. The safety of your drivers, your community, and your organisation depends on it.
