Higher safety rating for truck-mounted attenuators

Kennards Hire Traffic has begun replacing its fleet of truck-mounted attenuators (TMAs) to meet higher crash-resistance standards for the protection of road workers and motorists.

Government road authorities in NSW and Queensland have introduced a requirement that TMAs be 15 tonne GVM (gross vehicle mass), which is the combined weight of a fully-laden truck and attenuator.

While other states have yet to follow suit, Kennards Hire Traffic moved swiftly to adapt to the new standards so that its fleet is suitable for work in all states.

Kennards Hire Traffic’s first 15 tonne GVM unit was delivered in February, and the rollout will continue over the next three years.

Up till now, TMA crash-resistance standards have been based on manufacturers’ specifications. To overcome inconsistencies and provide for an even safer regime, governments have been working towards more demanding and uniform standards.

Kennards Hire Traffic has supplied TMAs for several major road projects, including the M1 West Gate Bridge upgrade in Melbourne and the M2 widening in Sydney.

It has specialist equipment hire centres in Queensland, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

These outlets are separate to Kennards Hire general equipment outlets, but work closely with that network to meet the needs of customers.