Queensland Class 3 Tandem Drive Axle (Cane Haulout Truck) Flotation Tyres Mass Exemption Notice 2025 (No. 1)

Overview

The Queensland Class 3 Tandem Drive Axle (Cane Haulout Truck) Flotation Tyres Mass Exemption Notice 2025 (No. 1) was enacted to provide an exemption from certain mass requirements for class 3 heavy vehicles, specifically cane haulout trucks equipped with flotation tyres, operating within Queensland. This notice was introduced to address the need for flexibility in mass regulations for these particular vehicles, facilitating the efficient transport of sugar cane from fields to mills or other designated points. The notice revokes and replaces the previous exemption notice from 2022. Authorised under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, the policy objective of this notice is to allow for the exemption of these vehicles from specific mass limits, provided they comply with the outlined conditions and limitations. This exemption applies to cane haulout trucks fitted with specified flotation tyres and is subject to conditions such as maintaining records of tyre inflation pressure and axle mass loading, adhering to speed and mass limits, and ensuring compliance with vehicle modification standards. The notice stipulates that the mass on the tandem axle drive group must not exceed 16.5t and requires that operators maintain detailed records for each journey. The exemption is effective from 29 August 2025 and will expire on 30 June 2027, providing a temporary regulatory framework that aims to support the sugarcane industry in Queensland.

Scope and Application

The Queensland Class 3 Tandem Drive Axle (Cane Haulout Truck) Flotation Tyres Mass Exemption Notice 2025 (No. 1) applies to heavy vehicles classified as cane haulout trucks that are fitted with specified flotation tyres and are operating within the state of Queensland. This notice provides an exemption from certain mass requirements under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) for these vehicles, provided they meet the conditions outlined in the notice. The primary purpose of this exemption is to facilitate the transportation of sugar cane from fields to mills or transport facilities and other specified operations, such as returning to a home base or travelling for maintenance, repairs, or inspections, while ensuring compliance with set conditions including mass limits, tyre specifications, and record-keeping requirements. This notice, which revokes and replaces the previous exemption notice from 2022, applies exclusively within Queensland and sets forth specific conditions for eligible vehicles. These conditions include maintaining a maximum mass on the tandem axle drive group of 16.5 tonnes, adhering to mass and speed limit ratings for the specified flotation tyres, and complying with vehicle modification standards unless certain exceptions apply. Additionally, operators of eligible vehicles must maintain detailed records of tyre inflation pressures and axle mass loadings. The notice will remain in effect from 29 August 2025 until 30 June 2027, providing a temporary framework for these vehicles to operate under specific exemptions.

Key Provisions

The Queensland Class 3 Tandem Drive Axle (Cane Haulout Truck) Flotation Tyres Mass Exemption Notice 2025 (No.1) provides an exemption from specific mass requirements for class 3 heavy vehicles used as cane haulout trucks that are equipped with flotation tyres. This notice is made under sections 117 and 23 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and replaces the 2022 notice of the same title. It commences on 29 August 2025 and expires on 30 June 2027. This exemption applies to heavy vehicles used for hauling sugar cane from the field to a mill or transportation point, within a 40km radius, and for unladen return trips, as well as for unladen operations such as returning to a home base, commencing new operations, travelling for maintenance or repairs, or travelling for inspections or registration. These vehicles must be fitted with specific flotation tyres as defined in the notice, namely Alliance MPT382 or BKT MPTFL633 PERFORMA 164J, both of size 600/50R22.5. The exemption also mandates that the mass on the tandem axle drive group must not exceed 16.5 tonnes and requires compliance with the mass and speed limit ratings for the specified flotation tyres, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the notice. Operators of eligible vehicles must adhere to several conditions to maintain compliance. They must ensure that the vehicle complies with the mass and speed limit ratings for the flotation tyres and must maintain written records demonstrating how risks related to tyre inflation pressure and axle mass loading are managed for each journey. Additionally, the vehicle must be fitted with a tandem axle drive group consisting of a tandem axle with flotation tyres, and it must either comply with Modification Code D3 of the National Code of Practice Heavy Vehicle Modifications or meet specific exceptions as outlined in the notice. Operators must also ensure that the vehicle's speedometer calibration, speed limiting, and braking performance comply with vehicle standards requirements if the vehicle was previously fitted with flotation tyres under the 2017 notice. Failure to comply with the conditions and requirements set out in this notice may result in legal consequences. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the notice, breaches of the Heavy Vehicle National Law can generally lead to civil or criminal penalties, including fines and potential disqualification from operating heavy vehicles. The exact penalties would be determined in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations governing heavy vehicle operations in Australia.