HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

Victoria Class 1 Road Grader Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1)

1. Purpose

The purpose of this notice is to exempt certain class 1 special purpose vehicles that are road graders from certain mass and dimension requirements, and to specify the conditions and routes on which they may operate.

Note: This Notice does not apply to a road grader that is being used on a closed or controlled road when conducting road works. A mass or dimension exemption is not required under the HVNL for such operations.

This Notice replaces the Victoria Class 1 Road Grader Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2018 (No.1).

2.       Authorising provision

1)      This notice is made under the following provision of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL):

a)      section 117 – Regulator’s power to exempt category of class 1 or 3 heavy vehicles from compliance with mass or dimension requirement.

3.       Title

This exemption notice may be cited as the Victoria Class 1 Road Grader Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1).

4.       Commencement date

This notice commences on the date of its publication.

5.       Expiry date

This notice expires on 31 January 2028.

6.       Definitions

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

2)      In this notice:

Freeway has the same meaning as in the Road Management Act 2004 (Vic).

Rear attachment means an implement attached to and suspended from the back of a grader, but that is not a trailer.

Note: examples of a rear attachment include implements such as rippers or free rollers.

Restricted structure means a structure marked as restricted on the Class 1 Oversize and Overmass Agricultural Vehicle network map referenced in section 15 Conditions - Areas and routes.

Zone 1 has the same meaning as the Class 1 Oversize and Overmass Agricultural Vehicle network map referenced in section 15 Conditions - Areas and routes.

7.       Application

1)      This exemption notice applies to a Class 3 heavy vehicle that is:

a)      a road grader, with or without a rear attachment; or

b)      a combination consisting of a road grader towing a trailer;

2)      This notice only applies to a vehicle specified in 1) when that vehicle is travelling under its own power on a road.

3)      This notice applies in Victoria.

4)      A heavy vehicle to which this section applies and that complies with the conditions of this notice is an eligible vehicle.

8.       Exemption – Prescribed mass requirements

1)      An eligible vehicle is exempt from the following mass requirements under Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation):

a)      Part 1, section 2 – Mass limits for a single vehicle or combination

b)      Part 2, Table 1 – Axle Mass Limits Table.

2)      An exemption in 1) only applies to an eligible vehicle to the extent that specific conditional mass limits are provided in sections 9 and 10 of this notice.

3)      If, in relation to a particular vehicle or component, this notice provides for two or more mass limits imposing different mass limits that apply in the same circumstances, the more restrictive mass limit applies, and the other mass limit must be disregarded.

9.       Conditions – Mass limits on axle groups relating to tyre width

1)      An eligible vehicle may operate at the masses indicated in Columns 2 and 3 of Table 1 below if the tyres on the vehicle meet the dimension requirements in Column 1:

Table 1: Masses for tyres of a specified width

2)      The width referred to in column 1 of Table 1 means the width of the tyre in contact with the ground, perpendicular to the direction of travel.

3)      Regardless of the masses in Table 1, the maximum mass on a steer axle is limited to 8t.

10.   Conditions – Mass limits for restricted structures

1)      An eligible vehicle operating under this notice crossing a restricted structure on a network specified under this notice must comply with the following mass limits:

a)      axle with 2 tyres – 6.0t

b)      tandem axle with 4 tyres – 11.0t

c)       gross vehicle combination mass – 34.0t

11.   Exemption – Prescribed dimension requirements

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

a)      section 5 – Length (rear overhang)

b)      section 7 – Width

2)      An exemption in 1) only applies to the extent that specific conditional dimension limits are provided in section 12 and 13 of this notice.

3)      If, in relation to a particular vehicle or component, this notice provides for two or more dimension limits imposing different dimension limits that apply in the same circumstances, the more restrictive dimension limit applies, and the other dimension limit must be disregarded.

12.   Conditions – Width and rear overhang (except in Zone 1)

1)      An eligible vehicle operating in any area other than Zone 1 must not exceed the following dimension requirements:

a)      Width – 3.5m

b)      Rear overhang, including rear attachment – 6.5m

Note: When travelling on a road, all class 1 vehicle must comply with the requirement in Schedule 8 Section 1 of the MDL Regulation concerning minimizing dimensions.

13.   Conditions – Width and rear overhang (Zone 1)

1)      An eligible vehicle operating in Zone 1 must not exceed the following dimension requirements:

a)      Width – 2.8m

b)      Rear overhang, including rear attachment – 6.5m

Note: When travelling on a road, all class 1 vehicle must comply with the requirement in Schedule 8 Section 1 of the MDL Regulation concerning minimizing dimensions.

14.   Conditions – Forward projection in front of steering wheel

An eligible vehicle operating under this notice must not have a projection in front of the centre of the steering of more than 3.5m.

15.   Conditions – Areas and routes

1)      An eligible vehicle complying with the conditions of this notice is authorised to operate on the following network:

Class 1 Oversize and Overmass Agricultural Vehicle network map

Note: This network is maintained by Victorian Department of Transport and Planning and is maintained on its website.

2)      For the purposes of section 119(1)(a) of the HVNL, an area or route specified in this section is a stated area or route to which this Notice applies.

3)      An eligible vehicle may not travel on a freeway.

4)      An eligible vehicle operating on an area or route specified in this notice or its Schedules must comply with the following conditions as specified for routes and areas set out on that map:

a)      Road conditions pursuant to section 160 of the HVNL; and

b)      Travel conditions pursuant to section 161 of the HVNL; and

c)       Vehicle conditions pursuant to section 162 of the HVNL.

16.   Conditions – Speed limitation

An eligible vehicle operating under this notice must not travel more than 75km by road per day when towing another vehicle.

17.   Condition – Towing restriction

Where an eligible vehicle consists of a grader towing a trailer, the mass of the trailer must not exceed the mass of the grader.

18.   Disapplication of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation

1)      Pursuant to section s39(5)(a) of the MDL Regulation, under this notice the conditions in Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation relating to class 1 vehicles are disapplied and amended to the extent indicated in this section.

a)      section 2(1)(a) – warning sign attached to the front of the vehicle; and

b)      section 2(1)(b) – warning sign attached to the rear of a vehicle; and

c)       section 2(1)(c) – warning flags fixed to the vehicle; and

d)      section 3 – warning lights and delimiters.

Brayden Soo      

Executive Director     

Freight and Supply Chain Productivity