HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

Tasmania Class 3 Pig Trailer Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1)

1. Purpose

This Notice grants exemptions from mass and dimension requirements for a class 3 heavy vehicle that includes a pig trailer carrying a specified item such as a light aircraft, yacht, rowing boat or surfboat.

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 Tasmania Class 3 Pig Trailer Dimension Exemption Notice 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:

Specified loads means a load that is:

a)      an aircraft,

b)      a watercraft, and

c)       any other components or equipment associated with those items.

Guide means the Tasmania Class 3 Pig Trailer Dimension Exemption Operators Guide published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, as amendment from time to time.

7.       Application

1)      This exemption notice applies to a class 3 heavy vehicle that meets all the requirements in this section.

2)      This exemption notice applies to a heavy combination consisting of:

a)      a truck; and

b)      a pig trailer that is carrying a specified item.

3)      This Notice applies in Tasmania.

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 dimension requirements

1)      An eligible vehicle is exempt from the following dimension requirements under Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation):

a)      section 3 – Length (combination or single vehicle)

b)      section 5 – Length (rear overhang)

2)      An exemption in 1) only applies to the extent that specific conditional dimension limits are provided in section 9.

9.       Condition – Dimension limits

1)      For a parameter given in column 1 of Table 3, an eligible vehicle must not exceed the dimension given in column 2.

Table 1: Maximum dimensions

2)      For this section, the width of a heavy vehicle must be measured in the same manner as in section 8 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation.

10.   Condition – Multiple specified loads

More than one specified load may be carried so long as the carriage of multiple specified loads does not cause another regulatory dimension to be exceeded.

11.   Condition - General operating conditions

 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 of the vehicle.

12.   Condition - Pilot vehicle requirements

Where a Specified Road Manager Network Requirement in the Guide requires an eligible vehicle to be accompanied by a pilot vehicle, the pilot vehicle must comply with the requirements set out within the Tasmanian Class 1 Heavy Vehicle Pilot and Escort Guidelines.

Note: The Tasmanian Class 1 Heavy Vehicle Pilot and Escort Guidelines are maintained and published by the Tasmanian Department of State Growth.

13.   Application of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation

1)      The following conditions in Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation are applied to eligible vehicles as though they are class 1 vehicles.

a)      section 2, Warning signs and flags

b)      section 5, Side and rear markers and warning lights for oversize vehicles used at night

c)       section 6, Headlights

d)      section 8, No travelling if low visibility

e)      section 9, Minimum following distance

f)        section 10 Allowing overtaking

14.   Condition – Stated areas or routes

1)      An eligible vehicle complying with the conditions of this notice has general access in Tasmania.

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)      In this section general access means access to all roads except as restricted by the Specified Road Manager Network Requirements in the Guide.

Peter Austin

Director, Policy Implementation

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator