National Class 3 Spreader Box Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1)

HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

National Class 3 Spreader Box Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1)

1. Purpose

This notice grants exemptions from dimension requirements for class 3 heavy vehicles that are fitted with a spreader box.

2.       Authorising provision

1)      This notice is made under the following provision of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL):

a)      section 117 – Regulator’s power to exempt category of class 1 or 3 heavy vehicles from compliance with mass or dimension requirement.

3.       Title

This notice may be cited as the National Class 3 Spreader Box Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1).

4.       Commencement date

This notice commences on 10 February 2024.

5.       Expiry date

This notice expires on 9 February 2029.

6.       Definitions

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

2)      In this notice:

Guide means the National Class 3 Spreader Box Dimension Exemption Operator’s Guide published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, and as amended from time to time.

spreader box means an implement fitted onto the rear of a heavy vehicle used in the construction, repair or maintenance of roads, to evenly distribute aggregate or a similar material.

7.       Application

1)      This notice applies to a class 3 heavy vehicle that is fitted with a spreader box to its rear and is used for the construction, repair or maintenance of roads.

2)      This notice applies in the following participating jurisdictions:

a)      New South Wales;

b)      Queensland;

c)       South Australia; and

d)      Tasmania.

3)      This notice applies in a participating jurisdiction subject to the conditions provided in the body of this notice and the conditions of the schedule relevant to that jurisdiction.

4)      A heavy vehicle to which this section applies and that complies with the conditions of this notice is an eligible vehicle.

8.       Exemption – Prescribed dimension requirements

1)      An eligible vehicle is exempt from the following dimension requirements under Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation):

a)      section 7 – Width

2)      An exemption in 1) only applies to the extent that specific conditional dimension limits are provided in section 9 of this notice.

9.       Condition – Width

1)      An eligible vehicle must not exceed 2.9m in width including any width attributable to the attachment of a spreader box.

2)      An eligible vehicle must not exceed 2.5m in width, not including any width attributable to the attachment of a spreader box.

3)      For this section, the width of a heavy vehicle must be measured in the same manner as in section 8 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation.

Note: The intention of this section is to ensure that the extra width afforded under this exemption only applies to the extent that any width in excess of prescribed limits is caused by the attachment of a spreader box.

10.   Conditions – Headlight requirement

An eligible vehicle must have its low-beam headlights on while it is being used in the daytime.

11.   Condition – Stated areas or routes

1)      An eligible vehicle complying with the conditions of this notice has general access, except as specified in this section.

2)      An eligible vehicle must only travel within the area delimited by roadwork construction signs, including “Roadworks Ahead” signs; or

a)      on a route between any two of the following places:

1. a work site or construction site; or 
2. a depot; or 
3. a stockpile; or 
4. a place of overnight lodging of the sealing crew. 

3)      For the purposes of section 119(1)(a) of the HVNL, an area or route specified in this section is a stated area or route to which this notice applies.

4)      Regardless of any access granted under this section, an eligible vehicle must comply with any conditions or restrictions applied to a given area or route by the Specified Road Manager Network Requirements in the Guide.

5)      In this section general access means access to all roads except as restricted by the Specified Road Manager Network Requirements in the Guide.

6)      An eligible vehicle operating on an area or route specified in this section must comply with any of the following conditions prescribed for that area or route:

a)      Road conditions pursuant to section 160 of the HVNL; and

b)      Travel conditions pursuant to section 161 of the HVNL; and

c)       Vehicle conditions pursuant to section 162 of the HVNL.

Peter Austin

Director, Policy Implementation

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

Schedule 1 New South Wales

1. Application

This schedule applies in New South Wales.

2.       Condition – vehicle conditions

1)      The vehicle must have at least one warning light attached that complies with the requirements for warning lights for a Class 1 heavy vehicle as set out in sections 35, 36, 37 and 38(1) of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation.

2)      Except when operating within a radius of 1km from a road maintenance or construction site, the vehicle must have:

a)      a warning sign attached to the front of the vehicle and a warning sign attached to the rear of the spreader box, that show the word “OVERSIZE” and that comply with the requirements for warning signs for a Class 1 heavy vehicle as set out in sections 41, 42, 45, 46 and 47 of Schedule 8 of the Regulation; and

b)      a brightly coloured red, yellow, or red and yellow, flag at least 450mm long and at least 450mm wide, at each side of the spreader box.  The flags must be clearly visible at a distance of 100m to a person of normal vision.

Schedule 2 Queensland

1. Application

This schedule applies in Queensland.

2.       Condition – compliance with Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulations

1)      A vehicle must comply with the following provisions of Schedule 8 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (Schedule 8), as if it were a Class 1 Heavy Vehicle:

a)      Fittings to Vehicle:

1. Section 2(1)(a) and (b) (Warning signs),
2. Section 2(1)(c)(ii) and (3) (Warning flags),
3. Section 3 (Delineators for projecting loads), and
4. Section 5(1)(b), (c) and (2) (Side markers and warning lights for oversize vehicles used at night).

b)      Visibility

1. Section 8 (No travelling if low visibility)

c)       Use of lights

1. Section 6 (Headlights)

d)      Assessing Routes

1. Section 11 (Assessing route prior to travel).

3.       Conditions – vehicle conditions

1)      Any part of a spreader box that protrudes past the body line of the vehicle must be a highly visible colour such as yellow, orange or red.

2)      A protrusion past the body line of the vehicle that is less than 500mm high when viewed from the front must have a delineator fixed to it. The delineator must meet the requirements of section 3(3) of Schedule 8, other than width. The delineator must be of the same width as the forward facing protrusion.

3)      The extremities of any protruding part of the spreader box not already fitted with delineators, side markers or lights, must be fitted with reflectors or reflective tape.

4)      The operator of a vehicle must ensure that warning devices and markings are clean and visible to other road users before the vehicle travels on a road.

Schedule 3 South Australia

1. Application

This schedule applies in South Australia.

2.       Conditions – Vehicle conditions

1)      An eligible vehicle must have at least one warning light attached that complies with the requirements for warning lights for a Class 1 heavy vehicle as set out in sections 35, 36, 37 and 38(1) of Schedule 8 of the Regulation.

2)      Except when operating within a radius of 1km from a road maintenance or construction site, an eligible vehicle must have:

a)      a warning sign attached to the front of the vehicle and a warning sign attached to the rear of the vehicle, that show the word “OVERSIZE” and that comply with the requirements for warning signs for a Class 1 heavy vehicle as set out in sections 2, 41, 42, 45, 46 and 47 of Schedule 8 of the Regulation; and

b)      A brightly coloured red, yellow or red and yellow, flag at least 450mm long and at least 450mm wide, at each side of the spreader box.  The flags must be clearly visible at a distance of 100 metres to a person of normal vision.

1. An eligible vehicle must not travel during periods of low visibility.
2. An eligible vehicle must not travel in the Adelaide Metropolitan Area between the hours of 7.00am to 9.00am and 4.00pm and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday inclusive.
3. For the purposes of this Schedule, the Adelaide Metropolitan Area means the area defined in the map titled ‘Adelaide Metropolitan Area Map’.

Note: The Adelaide Metropolitan Area Map is maintained by the South Australia Department for Infrastructure and Transport, and is published on its website.

Schedule 4 Tasmania

1. Application

This schedule applies in Tasmania.

2.       Conditions – Routes and areas

1)      The conditions in section 11(2) do not apply in Tasmania.

2)      The vehicle may not be used on the Bridgewater Bridge if the spreader box when fitted to the vehicle is wider than 2.5m.

3.       Condition – Daylight travel

The vehicle may not be used in daylight if visibility is less than 250m or at night if the headlights of a vehicle approaching within 250m cannot be seen.

4.       Condition – Night travel

If the vehicle is being used at night, it must comply with the requirements for side markers and rear markers for a Class 1 heavy vehicle as set out in section of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation.

5.       Conditions – Vehicle conditions

1)      A warning sign attached to the front of the vehicle and a warning sign attached to the rear of the vehicle, that show the word “OVERSIZE” and that comply with the requirements for warning signs for a Class 1 heavy vehicle as set out in sections 41, 42, 45, 46 and 47 of Schedule 8 of the Regulation; and

2)      Flags that comply with and that are fixed in accordance with the requirements of section 2(1)(c) Schedule 8 of the Regulation.