Heavy Vehicle National Law - South Australia Class 3 Converter Dolly Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au C2019G00132 In force Gazette

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HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

South Australia Class 3 Converter Dolly Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)

 

Purpose

  1. The purpose of this Notice is to exempt Class 3 heavy articulated motor vehicles, and B-doubles, towing an unladen converter dolly, from the stated mass and dimension limits in Schedule 1 and Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (the Regulation).

 

Note – This instrument is an exemption from the heavy vehicle dimension and mass limits for Articulated Motor Vehicles and B-doubles towing an unladen Converter Dolly.  This instrument does NOT exempt these vehicles from other requirements of the Heavy Vehicle National Law including, but not limited to, vehicle standards and other dimension requirements

 

Authorising Provision

2.         This Notice is made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law as in force in each participating jurisdiction (HVNL).

 

Title

3.         This Notice may be cited as the South Australia Class 3 Converter Dolly Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2019.

 

Commencement

4.                   This Notice commences on 10 February 2019.

 

Expiry

5.                   This Notice expires on 9 February 2024.

 

Definitions

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

7.                   An ‘Articulated Motor Vehicle’ means a combination consisting of a prime mover towing one (1) semi-trailer.

 

 

 

 

Application

8.                   This Notice applies only in South Australia.

9.                   This Notice applies to—

(a)           a combination comprising an Articulated Motor Vehicle towing an unladen Converter Dolly fitted with a single axle, tandem axle or tri-axle group; and

(b)           a combination comprising a B-double towing an unladen Converter Dolly fitted with a single axle, tandem axle or tri-axle group.

 

Exemption from prescribed mass and dimension limits

10.               This Notice exempts an Articulated Motor Vehicle or a B-double, towing an unladen Converter Dolly from the—

(a)                mass limit specified in section 2(1)(a)(iv) of Schedule 1 of the Regulation; and

(b)                dimension limit specified in section 3(1)(a) Schedule 6 of the Regulation.

 

Conditions

11.               The Articulated Motor Vehicle must not exceed a length of 19.0m.

12.               The overall length of the Articulated Motor Vehicle and Converter Dolly combination must not exceed a length of 26.0m.

13.               The mass of the Articulated Motor Vehicle and Converter Dolly combination must not exceed the mass limits applying to the Articulated Motor Vehicle plus the mass of the unladen Converter Dolly.

14.               An Articulated Motor Vehicle and Converter Dolly combinations operating in South Australia must either—

(a)           hold maintenance management accreditation for all vehicles and components of the combination; or

(b)           be subject to periodic inspection, in line with requirements in the jurisdiction of registration, or where regulator periodic inspection is not a requirement, in accordance with South Australia Heavy Vehicle inspection schedules.

15.               The B-double must not exceed a length of 26.0m.

16.               The overall length of the B-double and Converter Dolly combination must not exceed a length of 32.0m.

17.               The mass of the B-double and Converter Dolly combination must not exceed the mass limits applying to the B-double plus the mass of the unladen Converter Dolly.

18.               A B-double, and any vehicles that make up the B-double, in a B-double and Converter Dolly combination operating in South Australia must either—

(a)              hold maintenance management accreditation for all vehicles and components of the combination; or

(b)              be subject to periodic inspection, in line with requirements in the jurisdiction of registration, or where regulator periodic inspection is not a requirement, in accordance with South Australia Heavy Vehicle inspection schedules.

 

Note: The Articulated Motor Vehicle and B-double must have the rated vehicle capacities and GCM to tow the Converter Dolly in accordance with Part 2, Division1, Section 8 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulations.

 

Condition - Stated Areas or Routes

19.               Articulated Motor Vehicle and Converter Dolly combinations may use the routes set out in Appendix 1 (a) of this notice.

20.               B-double and Converter Dolly combinations may use the routes set out in Appendix 1 (b) of this notice.

 

 

Peter Caprioli

Executive Director (Freight and Supply Chain Productivity)

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

 

 

Appendix 1

 

a)      Map of route titled “Road Train Converter Dolly (GML)” network on the DPTI RAVnet Map System

b)      Map of route titled  “32m Road Train (GML)” network on the DPTI RAVnet Map System

 

Note:- networks referenced in this Schedule are maintained by DPTI and published on its website.

 

Overview

The South Australia Class 3 Converter Dolly Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 was enacted to provide specific exemptions from the prescribed mass and dimension limits for Class 3 heavy articulated motor vehicles and B-doubles when they are towing an unladen converter dolly within South Australia. This Notice was introduced to address the need for flexibility in the transportation of certain types of heavy vehicles, while still ensuring that safety and compliance standards are upheld. Authorised under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), the Notice aims to facilitate the efficient movement of goods by providing exemptions from certain mass and dimension restrictions, provided that other safety requirements are met. This exemption is particularly pertinent to the logistics and supply chain sectors, allowing for the transportation of goods under specific conditions that might otherwise be restricted.

Scope and Application

The South Australia Class 3 Converter Dolly Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 applies specifically to Class 3 heavy articulated motor vehicles and B-doubles when towing an unladen converter dolly within the state of South Australia. It exempts these vehicles from certain mass and dimension limits specified in Schedule 1 and Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, but it is crucial to note that this exemption does not extend to other requirements under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, such as vehicle standards and other dimension requirements. This Notice applies only to vehicles operating within South Australia and specifies conditions such as maximum lengths and mass limits for the combinations, as well as requirements for maintenance management accreditation or periodic inspections. The Notice also delineates specific routes that the exempted combinations can use, as detailed in the appended maps. This Notice, made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, commenced on 10 February 2019 and is set to expire on 9 February 2024, unless otherwise amended or extended by subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

The South Australia Class 3 Converter Dolly Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1) sets out specific exemptions from certain mass and dimension limits for Class 3 heavy articulated motor vehicles and B-doubles when towing an unladen converter dolly within South Australia. The Notice exempts these vehicles from the mass limit specified in section 2(1)(a)(iv) of Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, and the dimension limit specified in section 3(1)(a) of Schedule 6 of the Regulation (sections 10(a) and (b)). The Notice applies to vehicles that fit the defined criteria, including articulated motor vehicles towing an unladen converter dolly and B-doubles towing an unladen converter dolly, each fitted with a single axle, tandem axle, or tri-axle group (sections 9(a) and (b)). The Notice imposes several conditions to ensure safety and compliance. Articulated motor vehicles towing an unladen converter dolly must not exceed a length of 19.0m, and the overall length of the combination must not exceed 26.0m. The mass of the combination must also not exceed the mass limits applying to the articulated motor vehicle plus the mass of the unladen converter dolly (sections 11, 12, and 13). Similarly, B-doubles towing an unladen converter dolly must not exceed a length of 26.0m, and the overall length of the combination must not exceed 32.0m. The mass of the B-double and converter dolly combination must not exceed the mass limits applying to the B-double plus the mass of the unladen converter dolly (sections 15, 16, and 17). Additionally, both combinations must either hold maintenance management accreditation for all vehicles and components or be subject to periodic inspection according to the jurisdiction of registration or South Australian schedules (sections 14 and 18). Failure to comply with the conditions set out in the Notice can result in serious consequences. Although specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the Notice itself, breaches of the Heavy Vehicle National Law can lead to criminal and civil penalties. These can include fines and imprisonment for serious offences. The maximum penalties are determined by the specific provisions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and relevant state or territory legislation, which may include fines up to $50,000 for individuals and $250,000 for corporations, and imprisonment for up to five years for serious breaches. It is important to note that this exemption does not relieve the vehicles from other regulatory requirements, including those related to vehicle standards and other dimension regulations.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.