NATIONAL HEAVY VEHICLE LAW

South Australia Class 3 (Application of Higher Mass Limits) Mass Exemption Notice 2020 (No.1)

1. Purpose

1)      This Notice exempts certain heavy vehicles and combinations fitted with certified Road Friendly Suspension from mass requirements set out in the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation), allowing operation at masses that are equivalent to Higher Mass Limits under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

2)      This Notice revokes and replaces the South Australia Class 3 (Application of Higher Mass Limits) Mass Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1).

Note: This Notice replaces the South Australia Class 3 (Application of Higher Mass Limits) Mass Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1), introducing rationalized networks. Exemptions and conditions are unchanged.

 This Notice also provides access for B-doubles, Road Trains and B-Triples that previously had access under South Australian access notices that provided Higher Mass Limit (HML) Access.

 Although the previous Notice referred to Higher Mass Limits and made provision for it, this Notice does not apply Intelligent Access Program conditions and so is not a Higher Mass Limit Declaration under the HVNL. However, the mass limits and access provided under this Notice are equivalent to those provided under the former South Australia HML Declaration, and retains all other conditions.

2.       Authorising Provision

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

3.       Title

This Notice may be cited as the South Australia Class 3 (Application of Higher Mass Limits) Mass Exemption Notice 2020

4.       Commencement

This Notice commences on 3 January 2020.

5.       Expiry

This Notice expires on 9 February 2024.

6.       Definitions

1)      Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this Notice have the same meanings as those defined in the HVNL and the National Class 2 Road Train Notice.

2)      In this Notice:-

Articulated vehicle means a combination consisting of a prime mover towing one semi-trailer.

DPTI means the South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure.

Eligible vehicle means a heavy vehicle that meets the criteria of section 7 and complies with the Higher Mass Limit requirements of Schedule 5 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation.

Mass Management means a scheme that is recognised by DPTI as meeting the requirement of the mass management module (including audit requirements) of the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS).

7.       Application

1)      This notice applies to an eligible vehicle operating in South Australia, being one of the following categories:

a)      Rigid trucks fitted with a tandem drive axle group and operated without a trailer.

b)      Articulated vehicles where the prime mover is fitted with a tandem drive axle group and the semi-trailer is fitted with either a tandem or triaxle group.

c)       Buses fitted with a single drive axle or a six-tyre tandem axle group (which includes the drive axle) at the rear.

d)      B-doubles.

e)      Modular B-Triples.

f)        Type 1 and Type 2 Road Trains.

Note: the effect of e) and f) is to exclude the operation of non-modular B-Triples.

8.       Exemption - Prescribed mass requirements

1)      This notice exempts eligible vehicles from the following mass requirements specified in Schedule 1 of the MDL Regulation:

a)      Section 4 - Mass limits for a single axle or axle group

b)      Section 5 - Mass limits relating to axle spacing generally.

9.       Conditions - Axle Mass Limits and Spacing

1)      An eligible vehicle operating under this Notice must comply with the conditional mass conditions set out in this section.

2)      The total mass on the axle or axle group must not exceed the limits listed in Column 2 of Table 1 or Table 2 of this Notice for the specified axle or axle group.

3)      The Higher Mass Limits specified in Table 2 of this Notice only apply to axles or axle groups fitted with a Road Friendly Suspension.

Table 1: Axle Mass Limits and Axle Spacing

4)      In relation to articulated vehicles where the prime mover is fitted with a tandem drive axle group and the semi-trailer is fitted with either a tandem or triaxle group (as in section 7(1)(b) of this Notice), the mass on an axle or axle group not fitted with a Road Friendly Suspension must not exceed the limits specified in Table 2 of this Notice for the specified axle or axle group.

Table 2: Conditional mass requirements for articulated vehicles

10.   Condition - Stated Routes, Areas and Networks

1)      An eligible vehicle may access the Higher Mass Limits (HML) routes specified on the South Australia RAVnet; including the following routes corresponding to the following specific vehicles and combinations:

Table 3: Table of Networks for eligible vehicles

Notes: These networks are titled “HML Routes” but specifically apply to vehicles under this Notice, even though this Notice is a Class 3 exemption and not a HML Declaration.

Relevant maps are published by the South Australia Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, and may be found on its website.

11.   Conditions - Mass Management Accreditation

The operator of a vehicle that is travelling under this notice, and whose tri-axle or quad-axle group exceeds 20.0t, must hold Mass Management Accreditation.

Peter Caprioli

Executive Director (Freight and Supply Chain Productivity)

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator