Cromack Transport fined in Grafton Court for heavy vehicle offence

A Grafton trucking business has been fined for a load weight breach. Here’s what happened in court.

Duke Street trucking company Cromack Transport has faced court after one of its vehicles failed inspection at a Pacific Highway weigh station.

Documents before Grafton Local Court stated a Mitsubishi FK600 truck was travelling from Macksville to Coffs Harbour with a load of building materials when it stopped at Pine Creek about 1.40pm on November 1, last year.

Transport Service Roads and Maritime Services staff found one of the vehicle’s axels was overloaded by 20.33 per cent.

A report from the incident said the driver stated they were not aware of allowed axle mass limits for the truck.

It also said the driver had not received formal training to load the vehicle, had not weighed each axle before the trip or weighed the vehicle on a certified weigh bridge.

The driver was issued with a direction to secure, adjust or reduce load.

A guilty plea was entered on behalf of the company to driving a heavy vehicle that did not comply with a mass requirement – severe.

Cromack Transport’s defence lawyer said the company employed between 30 and 40 staff who rose through the ranks.

The lawyer said the company would focus on ensuring training for those staff occurred.

Magistrate Kathy Crittenden noted the company had been fined $1000 in 2015.

She said the driver had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and the overall vehicle weight was not exceeded, only the weight for axle one.

“The regulations are all about public safety and the risk posed to the community,” Ms Crittenden said.

Cromack Transport was fined $1000 for the breach.

The company’s management declined to comment about the matter.