HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

New South Wales Class 1 All Terrain Mobile Crane and Dolly Combination Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1)

1. Purpose

The purpose of this notice is to exempt stated Class 1 heavy vehicles from the prescribed mass requirements and prescribed dimension requirements specified in the notice, subject to the conditions specified in the notice and the accompanying Operator’s Guide.

2.             Authorising Provision

This notice is made under section 117 of the HVNL.

3.             Title

This notice may be cited as the New South Wales Class 1 All Terrain Mobile Crane and Dolly Combination Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1).

4.             Commencement

This notice commences 20 July 2024.

5.             Expiry

This notice expires 19 July 2029.

6.             Definitions

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

(2)    A reference in this notice to a heavy vehicle includes a reference to its load except where the context or subject otherwise indicates or requires.

(3)    In this notice:

All terrain mobile crane means a special purpose vehicle that has all of the following features and requirements:

(a)    is a mobile crane with either 4 axles, 5 axles or 6 axles; and

(b)    has two tyres per axle; and

(c)     has at least 50% of its axles steerable; and

(d)    is not a truck mounted special purpose vehicle; and

(e)    has on road and off road capability.

Axle spacing means the distance between the centre of an axle and the centre of another axle.

Boom support dolly means a dolly which assists in supporting the mass of a crane’s boom when the boom has been rotated rearwards for on-road travel.

Ground contact width (GCW) means:

(a)    in relation to an axle, the distance between the outermost point of ground contact of the outside tyres on each end of the axle; or

(b)    in relation to an axle group, the greatest ground contact width of all the axles in the group.

HVNL means the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

MDL Regulation means the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation.

Mobile crane means a heavy motor vehicle that is:

(a)    equipped with a crane or other lifting device; and

(b)    designed primarily for raising, moving and lowering a freely suspended load.

Operator’s Guide means the New South Wales Class 1 All Terrain Mobile Crane and Dolly Combination Operator’s Guide published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, as amended from time to time.

SPV means a special purpose vehicle as defined in section 116 of the HVNL.

7.             Application

(1)    This notice applies to eligible vehicles in New South Wales.

(2)    An all-terrain mobile crane with up to 6 axles towing a boom support dolly that complies with the conditions of this notice is an eligible vehicle.

8.             Exemption from prescribed mass requirements

(1)    An eligible vehicle is exempt from the following mass requirements of Schedule 1 to the MDL Regulation:

(a)    section 2(1)(a)(iv) and 2(1)(b);

(b)    section 4 and Table 1 (Axle mass limits table); and

(c)     section 5(1) and Table 2 (Axle spacing mass limits general table).

9.             Exemption from prescribed dimension requirements

(1)    An eligible vehicle is exempt from the following dimension requirements of Schedule 6 of the MDL Regulation:

(a)    section 3(1)(a)- Length (combination); and

(b)    section 5(1)(c) - Rear overhang; and

(c)     section 7(1) - Width; and

(d)    section 8 - Height.

10.         Dimension requirements – Length, height and width

(1)    An eligible vehicle must not exceed the following dimension limits:

(a)    26.0m length; and

(b)    3.5m width; and

(c)     4.6m height.

11.         Dimension requirements – Mass limits for specified axle spacing and GCW

(1)    An eligible vehicle with no more than 5 axles on the crane unit must not exceed the lesser of:

(a)    gross vehicle mass (GVM); and

(b)    gross combination mass; and

(c)     70 tonnes; and

(d)    the mass worked out using the Gross Mass Limit Formula, as follows:

Mass in tonnes = (3 x L) + 15 ±G

where:

"L" is the distance in metres between the centre lines of the vehicle's foremost and rearmost axles; and

"± G" is a number of tonnes to be -

(i)      added at the rate of 1 tonne for each 100mm by which the GCW of the heaviest axle or axle group exceeds 2.5m; or

(ii)    subtracted at the rate of 1 tonne for each 100mm by which the GCW of the heaviest axle or axle group is less than 2.4m.

(2)    A six axle eligible vehicle may have a maximum combination mass specified in the Operator’s Guide, so long as the vehicle meets the conditions for the specified combination.

(3)    An eligible vehicle operating under (2) must not exceed a combination mass of 80 tonnes in any case.

Note: Conditions and masses for specific combinations are provided in the Operator’s Guide.

12.         Conditions - Rear Overhang Measurements

(1)    For an eligible vehicle the maximum rear overhang must comply with the dimensions mentioned in Table 1.

Table 1: Rear overhang limits for eligible vehicles

13.         Conditions - Mass limits for single axles and axle groups

Note: Section 13 and section 14 operate in conjunction. Section 14 sets out mass limits for different types of axles or axle groups. These mass limits have to be considered in conjunction with the mass limits set out in section 13. In particular, Table 2 sets out mass limits for single axle and each axle in an axle group, while Table 3 sets out limits related to tyre width.

(1)    For an eligible vehicle, the mass on a single axle or axle group described in Columns 2 and 3 of Table 2 of this notice must not be more than the mass limit set out in Column 4 opposite its description.

Table 2 – Axle mass limits

14.         Tyre mass limits for single axles and each axle in an axle group

Note:   This section should be read in conjunction with section 13. Refer to the note at the start of section 13 for details.

(1)         The mass on a single axle or each axle of an axle group of an eligible vehicle must not exceed the mass limit stated in Table 2.

(2)         If an eligible vehicle has an axle fitted with 2 tyres, the mass limit for the axle in relation to the narrowest tyre on that axle as specified in Column 2 of Table 2, is the limit set out opposite that axle in Column 3.

(3)         As a specific exemption from section (1), the mass limit on an axle fitted with 2 tyres that are at least 406mm wide on an eligible vehicle that is an all terrain mobile crane, is increased to 12 tonnes.

(4)         If an eligible vehicle has an axle fitted with 4 tyres, the mass limit for the axle in relation to the narrowest tyre on that axle as specified in Column 2 of Table 2 is the limit set out opposite that axle in Column 4.

Table 3 - Mass limit for single axles and each axle in an axle group (based on pavement capacity)

15.         Conditions – Intelligent Access Program

(1)    An eligible vehicle that is a crane exceeding 2.5m in width must be enrolled in and comply with Intelligent Access Program (IAP) or Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA) as applied in New South Wales and as approved by Transport Certification Australia.

(2)    Pursuant to section 402(1)(a) and (b) of Chapter 7 of the HVNL, the following conditions of this notice are intelligent access program conditions:

(a)    any condition relating to mass or dimensions; and

(b)    any condition relating to stated areas or routes to which the authority applies, including any relating to speed or time of travel.

(3)    Pursuant to section 402(1)(c) of Chapter 7 of the HVNL, an eligible vehicle must be enrolled in and comply with an approved intelligent transport system specified in this section.

16.         Disapplication of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation

(1)    The following provisions of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation are disapplied for eligible vehicles operating under this notice:

(a)    section 7 – Travel restrictions at night.

Note: The Operator’s Guide may specify requirements relating to night travel for particular routes or areas relating to travel at night.

17.         Condition - Additional requirements to section 17(2) of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation

In addition to the requirements set out in Schedule 8, section 17(2) of the MDL Regulation, a pattern covering an area of at least 0.16m2 and consisting of diagonal stripes at least 150mm wide and alternatively coloured red and white, or black and white, must be marked on the left and right sides and extremity of any rigid projection extending more than 1.2m in front or to the rear of the body of an eligible vehicle.

18.         Approved routes and travel conditions

(1)    An eligible vehicle operating under this notice may operate on routes and networks specified in the Operator’s Guide;

SPV Level 2

(2)    An eligible vehicle operating on any network under this section must comply any conditions specified in the Operator’s Guide for that network, including:

(a)    Pilot requirements;

(b)    Night travel requirements.

Peter Austin

Director, Policy Implementation

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator