Heavy Vehicle National Law - Queensland Class 1 Special Purpose Combination Mass & Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No. 1)

Heavy Vehicle National Law

Queensland Class 1 Special Purpose Combination Mass & Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No. 1)

1. Purpose

1)      The purpose of this Notice is to exempt categories of Class 1 special purpose combinations from mass and dimension requirements under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

 Note:-  this notice replaces elements of the following Guidelines made under Queensland Law:

Queensland Guideline for Excess Dimension - Vehicles Carrying Indivisible Articles, Special Purpose Vehicles, Vehicles that require a Pilot or Escort in Queensland, Form 4; and

Guideline for Operation of Excess Mass Special Purpose Vehicles to 40t and Vehicles Carrying an Indivisible Item to 59.5t, Form 11.

2.      Authorising Provision

1)      This Notice is made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

3.      Title

1)      This Notice may be cited as the Queensland Class 1 Special Purpose Combination Mass & Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No. 1).

4.      Commencement

1)      This notice commences on 10 February 2019.

5.      Expiry

1)      This notice expires on 9 February 2024.

6.      Application

1)      This notice applies to eligible vehicles operating in Queensland.

7.      Definition

(1)   Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this notice have the same meanings as those defined in the HVNL.

(2)   In this Notice:

Access Conditions Guide means the Queensland Access Conditions Guide published by TMR that contains further specific information referenced in this Schedule.

Eligible vehicle means a special purpose combination that is special purpose combination that complies with this notice.

Pilot and Escort Guideline means the Guideline for Pilot and Escort Operations in Queensland published by TMR that contains further specific information referenced in this Schedule.

Special purpose combination means a prime mover towing a special purpose trailer.

Special purpose trailer means a trailer built for a purpose other than carrying a load and designed to be towed by a prime mover.

TMR Excess Mass and Conditions means the route and area conditions, and including the Conditions of Operation Database, maintained and published by TMR.

8.      Exemption – Mass

(1)   Eligible vehicles operating under this Notice are exempt from the following mass requirements in Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension & Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation):

a)      section 2 as applicable to an eligible vehicle; and

b)      section 4 and Table 1 of Part 2 (Axle mass limits table); and

c)      section 5(1) and Table 2 of Part 2 (Axle spacing mass limits general table).

9.      Conditions – Mass limits relating to tyre width

(1)   The mass on a single axle fitted with tyres of the number and section width described in Table 1 must not exceed the mass limit specified in the Table for that axle in relation to the narrowest tyre on the axle.

Table 1: Mass limits for an axle

(2)   The mass on an axle group fitted with tyres of a number and section width described in Table 2 must not exceed the mass limit specified in the Table for that axle group in relation to the narrowest tyre in the group.

Table 2: Mass limits for an axle group

10.  Conditions – Mass limits for prime movers towing special purpose trailers

(1)   The mass on a single axle or axle group of a tandem drive prime mover towing a special purpose trailer must not be more than the mass limit stated in Table 3 of this Notice in relation to the single axle or axle group of the prime mover.

Table 3: Mass Limits for prime movers towing special purpose trailers

Note: *a compliant steer axle may use an extra 0.5t in addition.

  **a twin steer load sharing limit of 11t is specific to Queensland

11.  Conditions – Mass limits for special purpose trailers

(1)   The mass on a single axle or axle group of a special purpose trailer described in Table 4 must not exceed the mass limit specified opposite its description in the Table.

Table 4: Mass Limits for special purpose trailers

(2)   The mass on a tandem axle group fitted with dual tyres, where the centre lines of the axles are less than 1.35 m apart, must not exceed 20t:

a)      decreased by 1t for each 100mm by which the axle group’s ground contact width is less than 2.4 m; or

b)      increased by 1t for each 100mm by which the axle group’s ground contact width exceeds 2.5 m, but not increased to more than 28t.

(3)   The mass on a tandem axle group fitted with dual tyres, where the centre lines of the axles are at least 1.35m apart, must not exceed 23t:

a)      decreased by 1t for each 100mm by which the axle group’s ground contact width is less than 2.4m; or

b)      increased by 1t for each 100mm by which the axle group’s ground contact width exceeds 2.5m, but not increased to more than 28t.

(4)   The mass on a tri-axle group fitted with dual tyres, where the centre lines of the axles are less than 1.35 m apart, must not exceed 25 t, decreased by 1 t for each 100 mm by which the axle group’s ground contact width is less than 2.4 m.

(5)   The mass on a tri-axle group fitted with dual tyres, where the centre lines of the axles are at least 1.35 m apart, must not exceed 27 t, decreased by 1t for each 100 mm by which the axle group’s ground contact width is less than 2.4m.

Note: Under s14(2) the centre lines of the axles must be at least 1.2 m apart.

12.  Condition – Total mass limits for special purpose combinations

(1)   The total mass of a prime mover and special purpose trailer combination, must not exceed the least of the sum of the mass allowed for each single axle and axle group on the combination vehicle.

13.  Exemption – Dimensions

(1)   Eligible vehicles operating under this Notice are exempt from the following Dimension requirements in Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension & Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation):

a)      Section 3 – Length, general

b)      Section 4 – Length, trailer

c)      Section 5 – Rear overhang

d)      Section 7 – Width

e)      Section 8 – Height

14.  Conditions – Dimensions

(1)   An eligible vehicle operating under this Notice must not exceed the dimensions provided in Table 5.

Table 5: Conditional Dimension Limits

(2)   The centre lines of adjacent axles in an axle group on an overmass vehicle or combination must be at least 1.2m apart.

(3)   The distance from the kingpin (articulation point) to the centre of the axle group (rear overhang line) for special purpose trailer mounted mobile machinery may exceed 9.5m.

(4)   The distance from the kingpin (articulation point) to the rear of special purpose trailer mounted mobile machinery may exceed 12.3m.

15.  Conditions – Routes and Areas (Mass Exemptions)

(1)   An eligible vehicle operating under a mass exemption of this Notice may operate on State controlled roads in Queensland only, subject to compliance with:

a)      the TMR Excess Mass and Conditions; and

b)      the Access Conditions Guide.

Note: the conditions in this section are maintained and published by TMR and are available on its website.

16.  Conditions – Routes and Areas (Dimension Exemptions)

(1)   An eligible vehicle operating under a dimension exemption of this Notice may operate on all roads in Queensland, subject to compliance with:

a)      the TMR Excess Mass and Conditions; and

b)      the Access Conditions Guide; and

c)      the Pilot and Escort Guideline as it relates to Load Carrying Vehicles.

Note: the conditions in this section are maintained and published by TMR and are available on its website.

17.  Conditions – General

(1)   A special purpose trailer may carry additional one tonne of equipment, tools, substances, or detached parts to be used in conjunction with the special purpose trailer.

Note: The exemptions in this Notice are subject to the conditions set out in Schedule 8 Conditions of Mass or Dimension Exemptions Applying to Class 1 heavy vehicles of the MDL National Regulation and to any conditions specified in this Notice.

Peter Caprioli

Executive Director (Freight and Supply Chain Productivity)

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator