Changes to the Mass, Dimension and Loading (MDL) regulations in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) have been a hot topic amongst HVIA members throughout the year, as the long-awaited changes are set to deliver much-needed incremental productivity gains.
HVIA has ensured that members are up to date on the status of the proposed changes throughout the year. Most recently, HVIA provided members with a key update via its mid-year Member Forum series, which saw the National Transport Commission’s (NTC’s) Executive Leader of Regulatory Reform, Aaron De Rozario, give a presentation to members and answer questions on the upcoming changes.
Now, the NTC has formally opened consultation on its proposed series of amendments, and has released a consultation overview and call for submissions here.
Broadly, the changes to the HVNL MDL changes are:
> Increase General Mass Limits (GML) to the limits that currently apply under Concessional Mass Limits (CML);
> Expand Euro VI concessions to road trains;
> Increase the length limit for vehicles from 19 metres to 20 metres; and
> Amend the tow mass ratio and associated conditions for tag trailers.
Consultation is open until January 19, 2026. HVIA will prepare a draft response and make it available to members for review and comment in early January.
Two other regulatory proposals that have been discussed throughout the year, and are not included in this current round of consultations, but are scheduled for the future are:
> Increasing the overall length of the 19m B-double to 20m and recognising this combination in the MDL regulation as a prescriptive vehicle with general access; and
> Increasing the vehicle height limit from 4.3m to 4.6m.
For further information, please contact HVIA Chief Technical Officer Adam Ritzinger at a.ritzinger@hvia.asn.au.