Association executive director Robin Phillips said that some operators had been waiting a month for oversize load permits to be issued since the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator took over laws in the state.

Mr Phillips said it was having serious financial implications for operators and their clients.

The regulator was set up in 2009 to standardise heavy vehicle laws across Australia. 

In many cases the association backs the regulator’s reforms. 

But Mr Phillips said the processes surrounding Oversize Overmass vehicles were a mess.

Oversize Overmass vehicles include trucks carrying heavy loads like earthmoving equipment, concrete panels,  bridge beams, boat hulls, barges and equipment for hydro powerstations.

‘‘Before the (regulator) the Tasmanian Oversize Overmass permit process took two days or less to complete,’’ Mr Phillips said.

‘‘Under them it’s taking 28 days or more because the national regulator also requires local signoffs, and that often several local authorities were involved for a single delivery. 

‘‘This bureaucracy is seriously hurting business here.”

He highlighted some examples of cumbersome regulation hindering the industry: 

● The relocation of a home at Westbury was delayed when one of three permits took three weeks to approve. 

This caused major difficulties for the carrier and the customer. 

● A job to transport steel interstate  required five support vehicles from Breadalbane to Devonport. However, just two support vehicles were required from Port Melbourne across the Westgate Bridge, and just one vehicle from there for the remaining 3000 kilometres.

● Due to lengthy delays with the permit approval process a leading North-West businessman was unable to demonstrate equipment to prospective international buyers who had flown into the state.

Mr Phillips said it was time to resolve the significant ongoing issues but the regulator was ignoring the problem. 

However, the regulator’s chief executive Sal Petroccitto said in 90 per cent of cases it had done its part of the job within days. 

“I need to stress that getting permits out the door quickly involves (us), the state government and local government road managers working closely and efficiently together,” he said. 

“In recent weeks, we’ve had ongoing dialogue with the association and other OSOM operators in Tasmania and are aware of the issues that the Tasmanian heavy haulage sector is experiencing in relation to permit timeframes.”

Mr Petroccitto said his organisation was working with local governments to boost permit assessments, including a special team to liaise directly with councils, and the results would  “begin to improve turnaround times”.

“We will continue to work with the association, the Tasmanian Department of State Growth and Tasmanian local governments to ensure the fastest response for access permits and to keep Tasmania’s heavy haul business moving,” he said.