Updated
Petrol stations are monitoring their fuel supplies after dozens of delivery trucks were taken off the road by safety inspectors.
More than 60 Cootes Transport trucks were suspended from service yesterday as part of a safety audit stemming from last week's fatal tanker crash in Sydney.
The company is a major supplier to service stations along eastern Australia.
BP has confirmed a number of its Melbourne outlets ran out of unleaded petrol yesterday but a spokesman says they managed to re-stock overnight.
The Service Station Association has also confirmed a number of other outlets also ran out of supplies.
The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum says Shell has also reported a reduced supply.
The Association's Chief executive officer Nick Moulis is reassuring drivers that any shortage should be temporary.
"I'd be telling operators to make sure they monitor their stock holdings and keep in close contact with their supplying company.
"I know all major oil suppliers have been in contact with cartage companies, including Cootes and others, to make sure that service stations are kept filled."
Victorian officers checked 170 Cootes Transport trucks and issued 158 defect notices for issues including brake failures, steering problems and broken engine mounts.
VicRoads is also reviewing Cootes Transport's heavy vehicle accreditation.
There will also be more vehicle inspections today.
Cootes has also ordered independent inspection programs for all its vehicles in South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland.
The company also plans to submit the entire fleet to ongoing inspections in all jurisdictions until it is satisfied with its maintenance regime.
The Service Station Association says major oil companies have arranged alternative transport,, but some operators are taking a financial hit.
Senior Manager Colin Long says they are losing money.
"Not good on the operators, but fortunately they've got good convenience stores these days and they've still go the other grades so they'll be selling automotive gas diesel hopefully," he said.
"Certainly the popular grades such as the unleaded and the E10 will be running short.
Certainly it is having an impact at the retail end.
The Victorian Premier Denis Napthine insists there is no need to panic about the state's fuel supply.
"The advice I've had is that there's no need for any panic-buying," he said.
"There are appropriate arrangements put in place and there were certainly arrangements put in place overnight for fuel to be supplied to those stations that need it."
Topics: safety, traffic-offences, road, industry, business-economics-and-finance, road-transport, vic, melbourne-3000
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