Truck Width, Mass Changes Dominate HVIA Meetings

HVIA’s October State Committee Meetings are under way and members are urged to register for upcoming gatherings in VIC and WA to learn more about changes to truck width and axle mass limits

HVIA’s October State Committee Meetings are under way and generating considerable discussion around a range of issues, in particular recent announcements regarding changes to truck width and axle mass limits in NSW, SA and nationally.

Committee Meetings have been held this week in Queensland and NSW, with the Victorian gathering on tomorrow and the WA meeting next Tuesday.

If you have not signed up for these meeting please do so today by clicking here for Victoria and here for WA. These pages also contain the agenda for the meetings.

The Queensland and NSW meetings have covered a range of issues which have attracted considerable discussion with members including:

• Progress on implementing the width changes for safer freight vehicles;
• Recent announcements on trials of mass concessions for electric vehicles in NSW and SA;
• Powered axles in trailers;
• The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (C-RIS); and
• The launch of HVIA’s new ROADBOSS Magazine.

The item which generated the most discussion was the HVNL Consultation RIS published by the NTC which among other things discusses three possible changes to the HVNL which are of key interest to HVIA members:

• An increases of five per cent in mass limits from the current General Mass Limits (GML) to the current Concessional Mass Limits (CML);
• Increases in overall length for general access vehicles (from 19m to 20m); and
• Increases to overall height for general access vehicles (from 4.3m to 4.6m).

C-Ris issues discussed included:

• How the proposed mass limit changes for general access vehicles would interact with the overall combination mass limits under the existing CML;
• How would the mass limit changes impact vehicles which are currently operating under notices specifying compliance with the bridge formulae (eg PBS vehicles and Class 3 truck and dogs);
• Would the mass limit changes need to comply with the current combination mass limits specified nationally (and within Queensland);
• Would the one-tonne tri-axle mass transfer allowance apply to vehicles operating under the revises GML/CML limits; and
• Would a 4.6m high vehicle be required to comply with mass limits and other conditions applying to existing vehicles operating under 4.6m notices.

HVIA will be incorporating these issues into HVIA’s feedback to the NTC on the C-RIS which is due on November 24.

If you are interested in contributing to the discussion please come along to the Victorian and WA meetings or contact Greg Forbes at g.forbes@hvia.asn.au or Adam Ritzinger at a.ritzinger@hvia.asn.au.