New South Wales Class 3 Livestock Tri-axle Group Mass Limit Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1)

Overview

The New South Wales Class 3 Livestock Tri-axle Group Mass Limit Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) was enacted to address the specific needs of the livestock transportation industry by providing exemptions from certain mass limits for tri-axle groups of Class 3 heavy vehicles transporting livestock. This notice was issued under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and aims to facilitate the operation of vehicles carrying live animals while ensuring compliance with overall mass limits. The notice was introduced by the New South Wales Government through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, and its primary policy objective is to support the livestock industry by allowing certain vehicles to operate under relaxed mass restrictions, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and flexibility for transporters. This notice commenced on 10 February 2024 and will remain in effect until 9 February 2029, providing a stable regulatory environment for the specified categories of vehicles involved in livestock transportation.

Scope and Application

The New South Wales Class 3 Livestock Tri-axle Group Mass Limit Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) aims to exempt certain categories of Class 3 heavy vehicles transporting livestock from the mass limit for a tri-axle group with specific tyre configurations. This notice applies to prime movers with tandem drive axle groups and semi-trailers with tri-axle groups, B-doubles, B-triples, and road trains, provided they are fitted with single or dual tyres with section widths of at least 375mm or a combination of these tyres. These vehicles must also comply with the general mass limits set out in Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation and any applicable heavy vehicle authorisations. The exemption applies to vehicles transporting live cattle, sheep, pigs, or goats in New South Wales and is effective from 10 February 2024 until 9 February 2029. The exemption includes specific conditions, such as limiting the mass on a tri-axle group of a semi-trailer to 21.0t and imposing different mass limits for the tri-axle group of a converter dolly based on whether it is fitted with certified road-friendly suspension. These vehicles can operate on all approved roads in New South Wales, except where a specific load limit is indicated by a sign or notice.

Key Provisions

The key operative sections of the New South Wales Class 3 Livestock Tri-axle Group Mass Limit Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) outline the categories of heavy vehicles exempt from the tri-axle group mass limit under the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, along with the specific conditions of the exemption (s.8). This notice applies to Class 3 heavy vehicles, including prime movers with semi-trailers, B-doubles, B-triples, and road trains, provided they are transporting live cattle, sheep, pigs, or goats and comply with the general mass limits set out in Schedule 1 of the National Regulation or any lower limits specified in a class 2 or 3 heavy vehicle authorisation notice (s.8). The exemption conditions include a mass limit of 21.0 tonnes on a tri-axle group of a semi-trailer, and for road trains, the mass limit is either 21.0 tonnes or 17.0 tonnes, depending on whether certified road-friendly suspension is fitted to the tri-axle group of the converter dolly (s.9, s.10). The loaded mass of the heavy vehicle must also not exceed the applicable mass limit specified in the National Regulation or any lower limit in a class 2 or 3 heavy vehicle authorisation notice (s.11). The New South Wales Class 3 Livestock Tri-axle Group Mass Limit Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) imposes specific obligations on the parties it governs. Heavy vehicles that fall under the categories specified in the notice and are transporting live cattle, sheep, pigs, or goats must comply with the outlined conditions, including the mass limits on the tri-axle groups and the overall loaded mass of the vehicle (s.9, s.10, s.11). Additionally, these vehicles are permitted to operate on all roads in New South Wales that are approved under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, except where a load limit is specified by a sign or notice for a particular road, bridge, or causeway (s.12). The vehicles must also adhere to the general mass limits set out in Schedule 1 of the National Regulation or any lower limits specified in a class 2 or 3 heavy vehicle authorisation notice. Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, breaches of the conditions outlined in the New South Wales Class 3 Livestock Tri-axle Group Mass Limit Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) may result in offences and penalties. Specifically, exceeding the specified mass limits on the tri-axle groups of semi-trailers or converter dollies in road trains, or the overall loaded mass of the heavy vehicle, could constitute an offence. Penalties for such breaches could include fines and other civil or criminal consequences as prescribed under the Heavy Vehicle National Law. The exact penalties would be determined by the specific breach and the relevant provisions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law in each participating jurisdiction.