Heavy Vehicle National Law - South Australia Class 3 23m Long Single Deck Vehicle Carrier Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)

Overview

The South Australia Class 3 23m Long Single Deck Vehicle Carrier Exemption Notice 2019 was introduced to address the specific logistical needs of transporting vehicles on a single deck within the constraints of the existing regulatory framework. This Notice, enacted by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, aims to provide flexibility for vehicle carriers that are built for carrying vehicles on a single deck, while still ensuring safety and compliance with other regulatory requirements. It exempts certain vehicle carrier combinations from dimension limits under the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, allowing these vehicles to operate within specified parameters in South Australia. The Notice outlines conditions for the use of these vehicles, including restrictions on their length, load, and the routes they can travel. This exemption notice is made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and applies exclusively within South Australia, with a commencement date of 10 February 2019 and an expiry date of 9 February 2024. The Notice exempts 23-metre long single deck vehicle carrier combinations from certain dimension limits but stipulates that these vehicles must adhere to conditions such as load restrictions, maximum length when laden and unladen, and specific route usage. This measure is intended to facilitate the transport of vehicles while maintaining compliance with broader safety and regulatory standards.

Scope and Application

The South Australia Class 3 23m Long Single Deck Vehicle Carrier Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1) provides an exemption from specified dimension limits under the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation for certain heavy vehicles in South Australia. This Notice applies to vehicle carrier combinations consisting of a rigid truck and a trailer designed to carry vehicles on a single deck, with the overall length of the combination not exceeding 23 metres when laden and being retractable to a length not exceeding 19 metres when unladen. It exempts these vehicles from the length and rear overhang limits specified in Schedule 6 of the Regulation but does not exempt them from other requirements of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, including mass and other dimension requirements. The exemption applies only within the state of South Australia and includes conditions that the load must consist only of vehicles, the overall length must not exceed 23 metres when carrying a load, and the rear overhang must not exceed 4.9 metres with specific conditions for overhangs greater than 3.7 metres. The Notice also specifies that these vehicles must adhere to certain maintenance and inspection requirements and may only use designated routes as outlined in the South Australian RAVnet Map System. This exemption is in force from 10 February 2019 and will expire on 9 February 2024, unless otherwise amended or extended.

Key Provisions

The South Australia Class 3 23m Long Single Deck Vehicle Carrier Exemption Notice 2019 (No. 1) provides a specific exemption from certain dimensional limits for certain vehicle combinations, as defined in section 7 of the Notice. This exemption applies to combinations consisting of a rigid truck fitted with a single steer axle and a single drive axle, and a trailer designed to carry vehicles on a single deck. The Notice exempts these combinations from the length limit specified in Section 3(1)(a) of Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (Regulation) (paragraph 9(a)) and the rear overhang limit specified in Section 5(1) of Schedule 6 of the Regulation (paragraph 9(b)). However, it is important to note that this exemption does not cover other requirements of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, including mass and other dimension requirements. The Notice imposes several conditions on the operation of these exempt vehicle combinations. Firstly, the load must consist solely of vehicles (paragraph 10). Secondly, the overall length of the combination when carrying a load must not exceed 23 metres (paragraph 11). Thirdly, the vehicle carrier, as constructed, must be retractable to an overall length not exceeding 19 metres (paragraph 12). Fourthly, when the combination is unladen, the overall length must not exceed 19 metres (paragraph 12). Fifthly, the rear overhang of the trailer must not exceed 4.9 metres, provided that any overhang greater than 3.7 metres consists only of a vehicle that is not a heavy vehicle (paragraph 14). Additionally, a load must not be carried above the cabin of the rigid truck (paragraph 15), and the vehicle carrier is not permitted to operate at concessional mass limits (paragraph 16). Furthermore, any vehicle that makes up the vehicle carrier operating in South Australia must either hold maintenance management accreditation for those vehicles or be subject to periodic inspection in line with the requirements of the jurisdiction of registration or, where regular periodic inspection is not a requirement, in accordance with South Australia Heavy Vehicle inspection schedules (paragraph 17). The Notice also specifies certain operational requirements for the exempt vehicle combinations. Firstly, they must only use the routes set out in the 23m network as specified in the South Australian RAVnet Map System titled ‘23m Vehicle Carrier (GML)’ network specified in Appendix 1, and in accordance with any conditions and limitations specified for those routes (paragraph 18). If the vehicle carrier exceeds a length of 22 metres, a long vehicle sign must be displayed at the rear of the vehicle in accordance with clause 5(3) and 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulations (Note to paragraph 18). Breach of any of the conditions or requirements specified in the Notice may result in penalties or other consequences as prescribed by the Heavy Vehicle National Law or other relevant legislation.