HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW
Tasmania Class 3 Heavy Vehicles Carrying Overseas Export Freight Containers Mass Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)
Purpose
- The purpose of this Notice is to exempt export freight container carrying combinations from stated prescribed mass requirements of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (the Regulation).
Authorising Provision
2. This Notice is made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law as in force in each participating jurisdiction.
Title
3. This Notice may be cited as the Tasmania Class 3 Heavy Vehicles Carrying Overseas Export Freight Containers Mass 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 Heavy Vehicle National Law.
7. In this Notice—
‘road-friendly suspension’ means vehicle suspension that complies with the performance criteria specified in Vehicle Standards Bulletin 11 - "Certification of Road-friendly Suspension Systems" published by the Federal Office of Road Safety in April 1999, as amended or substituted from time to time.
Application
8. This Notice applies in the state of Tasmania.
9. This Notice applies to a combination consisting of a prime mover fitted with a tandem drive axle and a single semitrailer fitted with a tri-axle group being used to transport a 12.2 metre long freight container containing perishable goods for overseas export (a ‘relevant combination’).
Exemption from prescribed mass requirements
10. This Notice exempts a relevant combination from the following general mass limits specified in Schedule 1 of the Regulation—
(a) Section 2(1)(a)(iv);
(b) Section 2(1)(b);
(c) Section 4;
(d) Section 5(1).
Condition – Axle mass limits
11. The mass on a single axle or axle group of the relevant combination must not be more than the following mass limits—
(a) for the steer axle—
- 6.0t; or
- 6.5t if the vehicle is eligible to operate under the steer axle mass exception limits;
(b) for the tandem axle group— 18.5t;
(c) for the tri-axle group— 22.5t.
Condition – Maximum permissible mass
12. The mass of the relevant combination must not be more than 47t, or 47.5t if the vehicle is eligible to operate under the steer axle mass exception limits.
Condition – Axle spacing mass limits
13. The mass of the relevant combination relating to an axle spacing of the combination must not be more than the mass limit stated in Table 2 of Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Regulation increased by the additional mass permitted under clause 11 for the relevant axle spacing.
Other conditions
14. The operator of the relevant combination must hold mass management accreditation for the vehicle.
15. All axles of the combination, other than the steer axle, must be equipped with road-friendly suspension or a certified road-friendly suspension system.
16. All axle groups, other than the steer axle, must be fitted with dual tyres.
17. The freight container must contain perishable commodities being transported for the purpose of export overseas.
18. Each freight container must be accompanied by documentation specifying—-
a) the origin and destination of the container; and
b) the nature of the commodity in the container.
Area or routes
19. A relevant combination complying with the conditions of this Notice may use all roads in Tasmania.
Peter Caprioli
Executive Director (Freight and Supply Chain Productivity)
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
Overview
The Tasmania Class 3 Heavy Vehicles Carrying Overseas Export Freight Containers Mass Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1) was enacted to address specific operational challenges faced by transporters of export freight containers in Tasmania. This Notice, made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law as in force in each participating jurisdiction, exempts certain heavy vehicle combinations from prescribed mass requirements outlined in the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation. The primary objective is to facilitate the transportation of perishable goods for overseas export, which necessitates the exemption of these vehicles from certain mass limits while maintaining safety and operational standards. The Notice applies to Class 3 heavy vehicle combinations, specifically those consisting of a prime mover with a tandem drive axle and a single semitrailer with a tri-axle group, used for transporting 12.2-metre long export freight containers carrying perishable goods. The exemption, effective from 10 February 2019 and expiring on 9 February 2024, imposes specific mass limits and conditions to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Scope and Application
The Tasmania Class 3 Heavy Vehicles Carrying Overseas Export Freight Containers Mass Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1) provides a specific exemption from certain mass requirements outlined in the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation for combinations used in the transport of 12.2-metre long freight containers containing perishable goods intended for overseas export. This Notice applies to combinations consisting of a prime mover with a tandem drive axle and a single semitrailer with a tri-axle group, operating solely within the state of Tasmania. The Notice is enacted under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and came into effect on 10 February 2019, expiring on 9 February 2024. It exempts these combinations from several general mass limits, provided that certain conditions are met, including mass limits on individual axles and the total mass of the combination, as well as requirements for road-friendly suspension, dual tyres, and mass management accreditation. The Notice also mandates that the freight container must carry specific documentation detailing the origin, destination, and nature of the commodities being transported.
Key Provisions
This Notice (C2019G00100) provides specific exemptions for certain heavy vehicle combinations carrying export freight containers in Tasmania. Section 10 exempts a relevant combination from specified general mass limits in Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation. The relevant combination is defined as a prime mover with a tandem drive axle and a single semitrailer with a tri-axle group, transporting a 12.2-metre long freight container of perishable goods for overseas export.
The Notice imposes several conditions on the operation of the relevant combination. The mass on a single axle or axle group must not exceed certain limits (section 11), and the total mass of the combination must not exceed 47t, or 47.5t if eligible for the steer axle mass exception limits (section 12). The operator of the combination must hold mass management accreditation (section 14), and all axles, except the steer axle, must be equipped with road-friendly suspension or a certified system, and fitted with dual tyres (section 15). The freight container must contain perishable commodities for export, and be accompanied by documentation specifying the origin, destination, and nature of the commodities (sections 16 and 17).
Breaches of this Notice may result in civil or criminal consequences. Under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, any person who contravenes this Notice may be liable for a penalty. The specific penalties are not detailed in the Notice, but under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, penalties for non-compliance can include fines and, in serious cases, imprisonment. The maximum penalties for offences under the Heavy Vehicle National Law can vary depending on the nature and severity of the breach, and may be subject to the laws of the relevant jurisdiction.