A NORTH Queensland livestock transporter is calling for big changes to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) after his fleet was recently grounded for two weeks.

Normanton-based Hawkins Transport is integral to communities in the Gulf of Carpentaria, with a fleet of up to 70 road trains – including livestock transport, side tippers for road works and taking groceries to remote Indigenous communities.

The livestock business is the ninth biggest in the country according to Beef Central’s top 25 livestock transport feature last year, with 20 trucks that primarily transport the annual weaner turn off from large scale cattle stations in the gulf.

The company was recently issued a prohibition order from the NHVR  (which grounds the entire fleet) over safety concerns, after the company had some rollovers earlier this year.

Mr Hawkins said the order was issued without complete investigation into the cause of the rollovers and with a lack of consideration shown towards the community needs in the remote areas which it services.

“I am not just a cattle carter and road builder, I am a grocery supplier to aboriginal communities in Far North Queensland. Do they just have to starve because the NHVR choose to ground the fleet?

“I have approximately 75 staff on books, what am I supposed to do with them? Are they just not supposed to feed their families?

Mr Hawkins said his calls to overhaul the regulator were not about trying to push aside legitimate safety concerns, but rather they were about trying to make sure the regulator understands the consequences of their decisions.

“I have always been happy to work with them, I just don’t believe they should have the power to put a company through what I have just gone through when they don’t even have the information right,” he said.

“There were no charges laid against me over the accidents.

“In the old days, when the Department of Transport were running the show they would rock up on your doorstep, have a talk and try work through the issues”

“The NHVR just put a prohibition on and you don’t even know who you are dealing with. My staff have been dealing with them on the phone, but I have never met any of them.”

The NHVR agreed to inspect Mr Hawkins’ trucks and trailers in Mount Isa, about 500km from Charters Towers. A process he also questioned.

“If I am so unsafe, why would they let me drive all that way down a main highway to get inspected,” he said.

Mr Hawkins said the inspection was a time-consuming experience as there was only a single pit, which meant he had to break down triples and quads to get them inspected.

Hawkins Transport has had issues with the regulator before, last year working through a series of charges and defect notices without the fleet being stopped. Mr Hawkins said other transport companies had similar issues.

While he didn’t have all the answers, he said big changes were needed to their approach.

“We cannot get drivers because nobody wants to put up with being treated like this on the side of the road,” he said.

“We find ourselves in situations where it is hard to get experienced drivers prepared to work and drive in the current conditions”

“I am not saying they should just leave us alone, there needs to be laws and guidelines. But we need to find solutions to these problems rather than just handing out fines after fines.”

“Safety is the highest priority which we need to achieve by working together”