Heavy Vehicle National Law

Victoria Class 3 Heavy Vehicle Twinsteer Prime Mover and Semitrailer Combination Mass Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)

1              Purpose

The purpose of this Notice is to exempt a certain category of class 3 heavy vehicles in Victoria from stated mass requirements prescribed in the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (the National Regulation).

Note – This Notice replaces the Victoria Class 3 Heavy Vehicle Twinsteer Prime Mover and Semitrailer Combination Mass Exemption Notice 2016 (No. 1).

2              Authorising Provision

This Notice is made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law as in force in each participating jurisdiction (the HVNL).

3              Title

This Notice may be cited as the Victoria Class 3 Heavy Vehicle Twinsteer Prime Mover and Semitrailer Combination Mass Exemption Notice 2019.

4              Commencement

This Notice commences on 12 November 2019.

5              Expiry

This Notice Expires on 11 November 2024.

6              Definitions

Unless otherwise stated, words or expressions used in this Notice have the same meanings as in the HVNL or regulations made under the HVNL.

7              Application

(1) This Notice applies to a Class 3 heavy vehicle consisting of:

a.       A prime mover constructed with:

                                                               i.      A twinsteer axle group with single tyres (two tyres per axle) and load sharing suspension; and

                                                             ii.      A tandem axle group with dual tyres (four tyres per axle) fitted with a certified road-friendly suspension system;

b.      Connected to one semitrailer that has-

                                                               i.      A tandem axle group with single tyres on one axle and dual tyres on the other axle fitted with a certified road friendly suspension system; or

                                                             ii.      A tandem axle group with dual  tyres fitted with a certified road-friendly suspension system; or

                                                            iii.      A tri-axle group with dual tyres fitted with a certified road-friendly suspension system.

(2) This Notice applies in Victoria

8              Exemption from prescribed mass requirements

A heavy vehicle described in clause 7 of this Notice is exempt from the following requirements of the National Regulation:

a.       section 2(1)(a)(iv) of Schedule 1;

b.      section 2(1)(b) of Schedule 1;

c.       section 4 and Table 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 1;

d.      section 5(1) and Table 2 of Part 2 of Schedule 1.

9              Condition- Mass Requirements

A vehicle to which this Notice applies must comply with the mass requirements set out in Schedule 2 of this Notice.

10           Stated Areas or Routes

A vehicle to which this Notice applies may only use the areas or routes set out in Schedule 1 of this Notice and must comply with any condition specified for those areas or routes.

Peter Caprioli

Executive Director (Freight and Supply Chain Productivity) 

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

SCHEDULE 1 – Areas or Routes

1.       Pursuant to clause 10, a vehicle to which this notice applies may use the areas or routes set out in in the VicRoads Higher Mass Limits network published by VicRoads.

Note:     a network map for the VicRoads Higher Mass Limits network is published on the VicRoads website.

SCHEDULE 2 – Mass Requirements and Conditions

Axle Mass Limit Requirements

1.       Subject to the total combination mass limit specified in clause 2 of this Schedule, the mass of an axle group on a vehicle to which this notice applies must not exceed the mass limits specified in Table A.

Table A – Maximum Axle Group Limits

2.       The operator of any heavy vehicle to which this notice applies that is fitted with a triaxle group must hold mass management accreditation.

Total Combination Mass Limits

3.       A heavy vehicle to which this notice applies must not exceed a gross combination mass (GCM) of 49.5 tonnes.

Mass Limits Relating to Axle Spacing

4.       A vehicle to which this notice applies must not exceed the mass limits in relation to the axle spacing distances set out in column 1 of Table B that are the mass limits set out in column 2 of Table B opposite those distances, as increased by –

a.       in respect of each tandem axle group with 8 tyres and a certified road friendly suspension system within that distance – 0.5 tonne; and

b.      in respect of each tandem axle group with 6 tyres and a certified road friendly suspension system within that distance – 1.0 tonne; and

c.       in respect of each tri-axle group with 12 tyres and a certified road friendly suspension system within that distance – 2.5 tonnes.

Table B – Axle Spacing Mass Limits