Four finalists have been named in the Safety Innovation Award category of the 2026 Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia National Awards.
The HVIA Safety Innovation Award recognises HVIA member organisations that have developed, manufactured or supplied a new vehicle, piece of equipment, technology or system that improves safety in the heavy vehicle industry.
The innovation may enhance safety through vehicles, equipment, technology or systems developed, manufactured or supplied by the organisation; workplace practices within the business or its supply chain; or road safety outcomes for drivers, other road users and the broader community.
The 2026 finalists are:
CMV Truck & Bus: Roadside Breakdown Safety System
CMV Truck & Bus has redesigned its roadside breakdown process around a central call centre and purpose-built technician app, addressing the risks technicians face when responding to breakdowns away from the controlled environment of a workshop.
Before a technician is dispatched, each call undergoes a remote risk assessment. Once on site, the app guides technicians through risk assessment, location and status updates, fatigue controls and confirmation of their safe arrival.
Developed through a cross-functional project and launched in February 2026, the system managed more than 1,100 breakdown jobs in its first five months. Central visibility of technician status and automatic escalation when expected safety confirmations are not received provide an additional layer of protection for employees working alone and in unpredictable roadside environments.
Redcat Industries: Linked Wheel Nut Indicator
Redcat Industries has developed a linked wheel-nut indicator that combines a simple visual indication of wheel-nut movement with a mechanical restriction designed to limit further rotation.
The system connects two adjacent indicators, so initial loosening remains clearly visible while the linkage restricts continued movement that could otherwise contribute to wheel separation. It can be retrofitted without electronics or modification to the vehicle’s power systems.
Developed with input from fleet operators, engineers, manufacturers and testing organisations, the innovation tackles a longstanding heavy-vehicle safety risk through a comparatively simple mechanical solution. The nomination cites one fleet that had previously experienced regular wheel-off incidents and reports no such incidents during five years following adoption of the system.
Toll Group: Purpose-Built Low-Profile Beverage Delivery Vehicles
Toll Group has developed purpose-built low-profile vehicles to address a combination of safety risks encountered in high-frequency metropolitan beverage delivery – including manual handling, vehicle access, rollaway, load security and interactions with vulnerable road users.
Frontline drivers were involved in the design alongside operational, safety, OEM and technology partners. The resulting rigid and combination vehicles use lower deck and access heights together with integrated engineering and technology controls, reducing reliance on procedures alone to manage risk.
Toll reports zero significant safety incidents, rollaway events, curtain-release events and lost-time injuries within the program to date, alongside a reduction in its avoidable motor-vehicle incident rate. The initiative demonstrates how vehicle design can be shaped around the real operating environment and the people using the equipment every day.
Volvo Group Australia: Hydraulic Press Ballistic Curtains
Volvo Group Australia’s Truck Centre WA operations have developed a ballistic-curtain guarding system for hydraulic presses after conventional cages and screens were found unsuitable for the range of workshop tasks being undertaken.
The solution surrounds the press with a physical barrier while retaining the visibility and access technicians need to set up pressing tasks. The curtain is combined with interlocks that prevent the press from operating unless the guard is closed.
Developed following consultation with workshop teams and consideration of Western Australian work health and safety requirements, the system is now being extended across Truck Centre WA workshops, covering approximately 130 employees. The initiative demonstrates how an engineering control can improve protection while remaining practical for the people required to work with the equipment.
The winners of the 2026 Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia National Awards will be announced at the HVIA Gala Dinner on Thursday, December 3 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.