New South Wales Class 1 Load Carrying Combination (Hunter Region) Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1)

1. Purpose

1)      The purpose of this Notice is to exempt Class 1 heavy vehicle combinations consisting of a prime mover and approved trailers, including dollies if required, from certain mass and dimension requirements under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL). In addition, this Notice exempts certain specialist vehicles such as block trucks that are used to assist the operation of Class 1 combinations. Operation under this Notice is restricted to stated networks and conditions specified in the Notice and in the Operator’s Guide.

2)      This Notice applies to both a combination transporting an indivisible item, and unladen travel.

Note: This Notice operates in conjunction with the New South Wales Class 1 Load Carrying Combination (Hunter Region) Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice Operator’s Guide.

3)      This Notice revokes the New South Wales Class 1 Load Carrying Combination (Hunter Region) Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2020 (No.1).

2.       Authorising Provisions

This Notice is made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

3.       Title

This Notice may be cited as the New South Wales Class 1 Load Carrying Combination (Hunter Region) Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1).

4.       Commencement

This Notice commences on 31 October 2023.

5.       Expiry

This Notice expires on 26 July 2025.

6.       Definitions

1)      Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this Notice have the same meaning as those defined in the HVNL.

2)      In this Notice:-

5x8 low loader means a low loader trailer with five axles of eight tyres per axle, with a minimum axle spacing of 1.2m

Axle spacing means the distance between the centre of an axle and the centre of adjacent axle.

Block truck means a prime mover modified to carry extra mass over its drive axle group to enable it to perform the following functions:

a)      tow a drawbar platform trailer; or

b)      to assist through pushing or pulling a loaded prime mover trailer combination.

Ground contact width means:

a)      in relation to an axle, the distance between the outermost point of ground contact of the outside tyres on each end of the axle; or

b)      in relation to an axle group, the minimum ground contact width, as defined in a), of any of the axles in the group.

Operator’ Guide means the New South Wales Class 1 Load Carrying Combination (Hunter Region) Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice Operator’s Guide published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, as amended from time to time.

Platform trailer means a trailer specifically designed for the movement of an indivisible item and having all of the following features:

a)      at least five axle rows; and

b)      a maximum of eight axle rows; and

c)       a minimum of 1.8m longitudinal spacing between axle rows; and

d)      at least 8 tyres per axle row; and

e)      at least 50% of axles are steerable.

Note: a platform trailer may be constructed of multiple platform modules.

Platform trailer rear overhang means the distance from a point midway between the last two axles on the platform trailer to the rear of the vehicle including any load.

7.       Application

1)      This Notice applies to a combination consisting of:

a)      a prime mover and platform trailer, with or without a dolly; or

b)      a prime mover and 5x8 low loader, with or without a dolly.

2)      A dimension exemption under this Notice applies to a prime mover and trailer combination that is an eligible vehicle under the NSW Schedule of the Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicle Dimension Exemption Notice, except for:

a)      A truck; or

b)      A truck and heavy trailer combination.

3)      This Notice applies to:

a)      a block truck; or

b)      a combination set out in (1) or (2) that includes a block truck in addition to the prime mover and trailer.

4)      A prime mover in any combinations set out in 1) to 3) must not have a tri-drive axle.

5)      A vehicle to which this section applies is an eligible vehicle.

6)      This Notice applies in New South Wales to the approved network under this notice.

8.       Exemption – Prescribed mass requirements

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

a)      section 2(1)(a)(vi) – general combination mass;

b)      section 2(1)(b) – sum of mass limits of axle groups;

c)       section 4 and Table 1 (Axle mass limits table); and

d)      section 5(1) and Table 2 (Axle spacing mass limits general table).

2)      The exemptions in this section apply to the extent of any conditional mass limits set by this Notice.

9.       Conditions – Maximum total mass of an eligible vehicle

1)      The maximum total mass of an eligible vehicle must not exceed:

a)      25.5t for a block truck operating alone; or

b)      184.5 t for a combination that includes a platform trailer; or

c)       136.5t for a combination that includes a 5 axle low loader.

2)      The mass of an eligible vehicle must not be more than the lower of:

a)      the sum of the mass limits specified in this Notice for the axle or axle groups in the combination; and

b)      the total mass of the vehicle specified in section 9(1) of this Notice.

Note: Where a block truck is used in the combination the total mass of the loaded combination must not exceed the combined manufacturers ratings of the hauling units.

10.   Conditions – Axle and axle group masses

1)      A prime mover with a single steer axle must not exceed the following masses on the steer axle:

a)      7.0t when fitted with tyres of a minimum section width of 305mm tyres; or

b)      6.5t when fitted with tyres of a minimum section width of 279mm to 305mm; or

2)      The tyres on a prime mover’s steer axle or drive axle must be no less than 279mm.

3)      The mass of the tandem drive axle group of a prime mover must not exceed 18.5t.

4)      When an eligible vehicle contains a low loader dolly to carry a load, the mass on the prime mover’s tandem drive axle group must be at least 14.0t.

5)      The tyre section width of the narrowest tyre fitted to any dolly or platform trailer or low loader must not be less than 190mm.

6)      The mass of a platform trailer must not exceed the maximum axle mass limits for the stated minimum ground contact width specified in Table 1.

Table 1 – Mass limits of platform trailer with eight tyres per axle

Note:  The axle mass limits in Table 1 only apply to an axle of a platform when it is in contact with the road. Axles in a raised position must be disregarded when calculating the sum of the axles.

7)      The mass of a 5x8 low loader trailer must not exceed the maximum axle mass limits for the stated minimum ground contact width specified in Table 2.

Table 2 – Mass limits for a 5x8 low loader

Note:  The axle group mass limits in Table 2 are only applicable when all 5 axles are in contact with the road.

8)      The mass on an axle group of a low loader dolly with 8 tyres on each axle must not be more than a mass limit specified in Table 3.

Table 3 – Mass limits for 8-tyred single axle or tandem axle group low loader dolly

Note: a vehicle or combination that does not meet the requirements of this Notice will require access either under Regulation mass limits, or mass limits set by another Notice such as the Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicle Mass Exemption Notice.

11.   Conditions – Axle spacing limits

1)      For a prime mover and platform trailer or low loader combination, the distance from the centre-line of the rear most axle of the prime mover to the centre-line of the foremost axle of the platform trailer must not be less than 6.0m.

2)      For a prime mover, dolly and platform trailer or low loader combination, the axle spacing from the rear most axle of the prime mover to the foremost axle of the dolly fitted with 8 tyres on each axle must not be less than 3.2m

3)      For a prime mover, dolly and platform trailer or low loader combination, the axle spacing between the rear most axle of the dolly to the centre-line of the foremost axle of the platform trailer must not be less than 6.0m.

12.   Exemption – Prescribed dimension requirements

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

a)      section 3(1) – Length;

b)      section 4(2) – Length (trailer);

c)       section 5(1) (a) and (c) – Rear overhang;

d)      section 7(1) – Width;

e)      section 8 – Height; and

f)        section 13(a)(ii) and (b)(ii) – Load projection

2)      This section does not apply to a block truck operating alone.

3)      The exemptions in this section apply to the extent of any conditional dimension limits set by this Notice.

13.   Conditions – Maximum dimensions

1)      An eligible vehicle must not exceed the following dimension limits:

a)      Width - 5.9m; or

b)      Length - 39.9m, with or without a block truck; or

c)       Height - 5.2m; 

d)      Rear overhang for low loader combination – lesser of 7.50 metres or 25% of the overall length measured from the centre of the trailer’s axle group;

e)      Rear overhang for platform combination - 6.5m.

2)      A laden eligible vehicle higher than 4.8m must carry its load on a trailer with a deck height no more than 1.2m above the ground.

3)      When calculating the rear overhang of a combination with a block truck to the front, do not include the block truck or any connector between it and the rest of the combination.

14.   Conditions – Stated areas and routes

1)      An eligible vehicle operating under this Notice may access the following network as provided in Part 2 of the Operator’s Guide:

NSW Hunter Region LCV Network

2)      An eligible vehicle accessing the above network must comply with all conditions of that network.

15.   Conditions – Minimising the width of a load

If a load on an eligible vehicle can be safely loaded in more than one way, it must be loaded in a way that minimises the dimensions, prioritising minimum width, of the vehicle and its load to the greatest extent practicable.

16.   Conditions – Unladen travel

1)      One or more of the following items may be carried during relocation of an unladen platform trailer or low loader:

a)      pilot and escort vehicles

b)      low loader dolly

c)       jinkers

d)      tools and equipment essential for loading and securing of a large indivisible item;

e)      prime movers

f)        platform modules

2)      An eligible platform trailer combination carrying an item listed above may not exceed 6t per axle.

Note:  Pilot and escort vehicles must meet the relevant requirements of Schedule 8 Part 1, Division 5 of the MDL Regulation.

17.   Conditions – Pilots requirement

An eligible vehicle operating under this Notice must comply with the pilot requirements set out in the Operator’s Guide.

Peter Austin

Director Policy Implementation

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator