HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

Queensland Higher Mass Limits Declaration 2024 (No.1)

1. Purpose

This notice declares access on stated areas and routes for HML heavy vehicles, except buses, operating in Queensland.

2.       Authorising provision

1)      This notice is made under the following provisions:

a)      Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation); section 12 – Regulator’s power to declare areas and routes for higher mass limits

3.       Title

This notice may be cited as the Queensland Higher Mass Limits Declaration 2024 (No.1).

4.       Commencement date

This notice commences on 10 February 2024.

5.       Expiry date

This notice expires on 9 February 2029.

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, definitions from specified in the following notices apply:

a)      National Class 2 B-Double Authorisation Notice, as amended from time to time; and

b)      National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice, as amended from time to time.

3)      In this notice:

Guide means the Queensland Higher Mass Limits Declaration Operator’s Guide published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, as amended from time to time.

7.       Application

1)      This notice applies to a HML heavy vehicle operating in Queensland.

2)      As an exception to 1), this notice does not apply to a bus.

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

8.       Condition – Tri-drive prime mover restriction in a B-double and road train combinations

1)      An eligible vehicle must not have a drive axle group with more than two axles in contact with the ground.

2)      In this section drive axle group means an axle group that has one or more driving axles.

9.       Intelligent Access Conditions

1)      Pursuant to s402(1)(a) and (b) of Chapter 7 of the HVNL, the following conditions of this Notice are intelligent access program conditions:

a)      any condition relating to mass or dimensions; and

b)      any condition relating to stated areas or routes to which the authority applies, including any relating to speed or time of travel.

2)      Pursuant to s402(1)(c) of Chapter 7 of the HVNL, an eligible vehicle must be monitored by an approved intelligent transport system as set out in this section.

3)      An eligible vehicle must be enrolled in and comply with the following approved intelligent transport system, approved by Transport Certification Australia:

a)      For vehicles enrolled from 1 December 2022 – Telematics Monitoring Application

b)      For vehicles enrolled before 1 December 2022 – Intelligent Access Program

Note:  The option in subsection (3)(b) to comply using IAP will be removed from 1 June 2024.

4)      In this section, Intelligent Access Program means the approved intelligent transport system of that name administered by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.

5)      At the time of operation under this notice, an eligible vehicle to which this section applies must be enrolled in and be compliant with the conditions of the required approved intelligent transport system.

10.   Condition – stated areas or routes

1)      An eligible vehicle complying with the conditions of this declaration is authorised to access the stated routes and areas specified in this section.

2)      For the purposes of section 12 and section 15 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, an area or route specified in this section is a stated area or route to which this notice applies.

3)      An eligible vehicle that is not a B-double or a Road Train may operate on all roads on the following network:

Higher Mass Limits (Queensland)

4)      An eligible vehicle described in column 1 of Table 1 may access the network in column 2 and must comply with the conditions that would apply to that combination if it were operating under the Queensland Schedule of the class 2 authorisation specified in column 3.

Table 1: Stated networks for B-doubles and road trains

5)      Access to networks listed in Column 2 of Table 1 are limited to parts of that network that coincide with the Queensland Higher Mass Limits network.

6)      Regardless of any access granted under this section, an eligible vehicle must comply with any conditions or restrictions applied to a stated area or route in the Specified Road Manager Network Requirements in the Guide.

7)      In this section, network means a map, list or database, presented electronically or otherwise, that represents the stated areas and stated routes authorised under this notice.

8)      An eligible vehicle operating on an area or route specified in this section must comply with the following conditions as specified for a route or area:

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.

Peter Austin

Director, Policy Implementation

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator