Flu has struck the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s offices in Brisbane, and it is asking for the industry to be patient.

Staff numbers at the NHVR have been hit hard by a significant increase in sick leave absences due to the flu virus.

It means that the NHVR’s capacity in some key areas has been impacted.

“We have put strategies in place to manage the workload and ask industry for your understanding and patience as we work to maintain service levels and deal with the small backlog,” an official statement reads.

In the meantime the regulator has provided some tips to help fast-track approvals.

“If you already have approval of your route from your local council please provide it to the NHVR with your application,” the authority says.

“Ensure the application is fully completed and payment information is correct.

“If emailing your application, make sure you are sending it to the correct email address.”

The correct email addresses are listed here.