PBS Level 3 and 4 Standards Review

This report details a review undertaken to identify potential issues that are limiting the uptake of the PBS (Performance Based Standards) Level 3 and 4 vehicles and provide recommendations for improving the standards to increase the use of safer and more productive freight vehicles.

The review recommends retaining the existing national PBS framework and all performance standards, but argues that for some measures a re-calibration of test conditions and/or performance limits is required to meet the review objectives. The review also recommends using the PBS framework to facilitate access to Class 3 freight vehicles that fall outside the boundaries of the four PBS network access levels.

There is strong incentive to increase the use of PBS vehicles. Austroads recently found that high productivity vehicles cause 63% fewer major accidents than their conventional counterparts and provide indirect community freight exposure benefits (less vehicle kilometres travelled, fewer trucks, reduced noise, emissions and accidents) conservatively estimated to be worth $12.6 billion in direct and indirect economic benefits by 2030.