Heavy Vehicle National Law - Tasmania Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicle Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)

HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

Tasmania Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicle Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)

1. Purpose

This Notice exempts eligible Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) from compliance with certain requirements in Schedule 1 and Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (the MDL Regulation), and corresponding vehicle standards requirements under Part 5 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation (the VS Regulation). An Eligible Vehicle that meets the requirements of this Notice and is validated by the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS), may travel on a road network with access conditions, specific to that vehicle’s mass and configuration characteristics.

2.       Authorising Provision

This Notice is made under s61 and s117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (the HVNL) as in force in Tasmania.

3.       Title

This Notice may be cited as the Tasmania Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicle Exemption Notice 2019.

4.       Commencement

This Notice commences on 12 August 2019.

5.       Expiry

This Notice expires on 11 August 2024.

6.       Definitions

1)      Unless otherwise stated, words or expressions used in this Notice have the same meanings as defined in the HVNL.

2)      In this Notice —

Airservices Vehicle means an Eligible Vehicle operated by Airservices Australia.

Eligible Vehicle means a SPV that complies with s7 of this Notice.

Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) means the application, incorporated databases and data, published and maintained by the Tasmania Department of State Growth.

Note:  The HVAMS requires a user to input Vehicle Parameters and uses an algorithm to generate a Vehicle Network. The HVAMS is accessible on the Department of State Growth Transport website.

SPV means a Special Purpose Vehicle as defined in s116 of the HVNL.

Telematics Application means an application within the National Telematics Framework using information from a Telematics In-Vehicle Unit.

Telematics In-Vehicle Unit means a unit installed in the vehicle which provides an integrated system of information, communications and sensors to exchange data between the vehicle and other locations.

Vehicle Code means a code generated by the HVAMS that references a set of Vehicle Parameters.

Vehicle Network means a road network generated by the HVAMS for an Eligible Vehicle, as specified in s13.

Vehicle Parameters means the characteristics of an Eligible Vehicle required by the HVAMS to generate a Vehicle Code and Vehicle Network, as specified in s14.

7.       Application

1)      This Notice applies to a SPV operating in Tasmania that:

a)      has a set of Vehicle Parameters validated by the HVAMS; and

b)      is travelling on a road that is part of a Vehicle Network generated by the HVAMS; and

c)       complies with all of the conditions of this Notice.

8.       Exemption – Mass Requirements

1)      An Eligible Vehicle operating under this Notice is exempt from one or more of the following mass requirements of Schedule 1 of the National MDL Regulation:

a)      Section 2(1)(a)(vi) - relating to mass limits for a single vehicle; and

b)      Section 2(1)(b) - relating to the sum of mass limits in Table 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 1; and

c)       Section 4 - relating to mass limits specified in Table 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 1; and

d)      Section 5(1) and Table 2 (Axle spacing mass limits general table).

2)      An exemption under this section only applies for an Eligible Vehicle with one or more Vehicle Parameters that exceed regulation mass requirements.

9.       Exemption – Dimension Requirements

1)      An Eligible Vehicle operating under this Notice is exempt from one or more of the following dimension requirements of Schedule 6 of the MDL Regulation:

a)      Section 8 - relating to height; and

b)      Section 7(1) - relating to width; and

c)       Section 3 - relating to length; and

d)      Section 5(1)(c) - relating to rear overhang.

2)      An exemption under this section only applies for an Eligible Vehicle with one or more Vehicle Parameters that exceed regulation dimension requirements.

10.   Exemption – Heavy Vehicle Standards

1)      An Eligible Vehicle is exempt from compliance with Schedule 2, Part 5 of the VS Regulation to the same extent that the vehicle is exempted from dimension requirements under s9.

11.   Conditions – Stated Map (Vehicle Network)

1)      An Eligible Vehicle may only travel on a road that is part of a Vehicle Network generated by the HVAMS for that Eligible Vehicle’s Vehicle Parameters.

2)      An Eligible Vehicle must comply with the access conditions stipulated on the Vehicle Network, which may include, but are not limited to one or more of the following:

a)      road and travel conditions; or

b)      a time stamp specifying the timeframe a generated Vehicle Network is valid for; or

c)       special conditions relating to a specified vehicle category.

Note: The Vehicle Network generated by a set of Vehicle Parameters is subject to change and operators must ensure that they are travelling on a Vehicle Network that is valid at the time of travel.

12.   Conditions – Vehicle Parameters

1)      For the purpose of this Notice, Vehicle Parameters are the characteristics of an Eligible Vehicle required by the HVAMS to generate a Vehicle Code and Vehicle Network.

2)      Vehicle Parameters may include, but are not limited to one or more of the following:

a)      the vehicle type, as defined by the HVAMS

b)      vehicle dimensions

c)       axle masses

d)      axle spacings

e)      ground contact widths

f)        axle steering details

g)       load sharing details

h)      travel mode

i)        any other characteristic of the vehicle required by the HVAMS

13.   Conditions – Telematics

1)      An Eligible Vehicle must have a Telematics In-Vehicle Unit installed that is Type Approved by Transport Certification Australia, or otherwise acceptable to the Road Authority, when required by the HVAMS.

2)      The operator of an Eligible Vehicle must participate in any Telematics Application specified by the HVAMS.

Note: SPVs will have access conditions, specific to that vehicle, when travelling on the Vehicle Network, such as slow speed crossing of certain structures.  Telematics Applications will provide road managers with assurance that access conditions have been met.

14.   Conditions – Vehicle Code

1)      A Vehicle Code is a code generated by the HVAMS that references a set of Vehicle Parameters.

2)      The driver of an Eligible Vehicle must be able to produce the relevant Vehicle Code when travelling on the Vehicle Network.

Note: A Vehicle Code is a reference that retrieves a set of Vehicle Parameters that are used to generate a Vehicle Network.

15.   Disapplication of Schedule 8 Conditions – Airservices vehicles

1)      The following conditions from Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation do not apply to an Eligible Vehicle that is an Airservices Vehicle:

a)      Section 2(1)(c) - warning flags; and

b)      Section 5(1)(a) - distance between side marker lights; and

c)       Section 41(b) - 20mm black border on warning sign; and

d)      Section 41(b) - 10mm edge of border on warning sign; and

e)      Section 41(c) - manufacturers name/logo, brand/class on warning sign; and

f)        Section 45(1) - dimensions of warning signs; and

g)       Section 46(2)(a) - 200mm high lettering on warning sign; and

h)      Section 46(2)(b) - position of lettering in relation to warning sign.

16.   Disapplication of Schedule 8 Conditions – Pilot vehicles

1)      Section 26(1) of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation does not apply to a vehicle acting as a pilot for an Eligible Vehicle operating under this Notice.

2)      A pilot vehicle subject of (1) must meet the following requirements:

a)      it must have at least four wheels; and

b)      it is not a light or heavy combination; and

c)       it does not exceed a maximum Gross Vehicle Mass of 22.5t.

Note:  this section replaces the mass restrictions on pilot vehicles under Schedule 8, within the specified conditions. All other requirements of s26 of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation apply.

3)      Section 30(1) of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation does not apply to a vehicle acting as a pilot for an Eligible Vehicle operating under this Notice.

Note: this section removes the restriction on where a single pilot vehicle must be positioned. As a result, a pilot vehicle may travel to the front or rear of the Eligible Vehicle where appropriate to provide adequate warning to other road users. All other requirements of s30 of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation apply.

Peter Caprioli

Executive Freight and Supply Chain Productivity   

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator