A man has been arrested on the side of a Gold Coast highway after police chased a truck from northern NSW.

The high-vis-clad man jumped from the truck while it was still moving the Pacific Mwy about 2pm on Thursday.

The man ran into scrub beside the busy road before a large number of police officers swarmed on the area and a 27-year-old man, from Queensland, was arrested.

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The chase is believed to have started in Ewingsdale, near Byron Bay, about 12.30pm.

A member of the public alerted police that the truck was being driven erratically.

Officers attempted to pull the truck over but the driver refused to stop.

The chase crossed the border with Queensland Police alerted by their NSW colleagues of the truck driving in an “extremely dangerous manner”, Senior Sergeant Brendan Wiblen said.

“(It) was causing crashes and causing risk of serious injury,” he said.

“The truck continued to drive dangerously. We know it struck at least four vehicles. It was travelling on the left side of cars, it was pushing its way through. It was causing a very serious risk of serious injury.

“This was a highly motivated driver who was intent on causing harm. We were fortunate to take him into custody without very serious injury.”

Wiblen said the man abandoned the truck when it appeared to have run out of fuel.

The truck had lost at least of one of its tyres.

Wiblen said police expected to charge the man with “a series of very serious driving offences”.

Police believe the truck was not stolen and the man is known to the owner.

“His motivation for avoiding police is unknown,” Wiblen said.

“I can’t comment on whether he was fleeing a potential drug-driving charge, but he’s got a stack of charges coming his way.”