Victoria Class 1 4-Axle & 5-Axle All Terrain Mobile Crane Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1)

1. Purpose

1)      This notice grants exemptions from mass and dimension requirements for class 1 heavy vehicles that are 4-axle and 5-axle all terrain mobile cranes.

2)      This notice revokes and replaces the Victoria Class 1 4-Axle & 5-Axle All Terrain Mobile Crane Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2021 (No.2).

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: and

b)      section 23 of Schedule 1 – Regulator’s power to amend or repeal instrument.

3.       Title

This notice may be cited as the Victoria Class 1 4-Axle & 5-Axle All Terrain Mobile Crane Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1).

4.       Commencement date

This notice commences on 10 June 2024.

5.       Expiry date

This notice expires on 15 May 2026.

6.       Definitions

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

2) In this notice—

All terrain mobile crane means a special purpose vehicle that has all of the following features and requirements—

(a) is a mobile crane with either 4 axles or 5 axles; and

(b) has two tyres per axle; and

(c) has at least 50% of its axles steerable; and

(d) is not a truck mounted special purpose vehicle; and

(e) has on road and off-road capability; and

(f) has separate driving and crane operating compartments.

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

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 greatest ground contact width of all the axles in the group.

Figure 1 - Illustration of ground contact width of an axle

MDL Regulation means the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation.

7.       Application

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

2)      This notice applies to a heavy vehicle that is a 4-axle or a 5-axle all terrain mobile crane.

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 of Schedule 1 of the MDL Regulation—

(a)   section 2 – Mass limits for a single vehicle or combination;

(b)   section 4 – Mass limits for a single axle or axle group;

(c)   section 5 – Mass limits relating to axle spacing generally.

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

3)      Regardless of any conditional masses prescribed in this notice an eligible vehicle must not exceed manufacturer mass limits as defined in section 8(8) of the MDL Regulation.

9.       Mass requirements – Axle mass limits

1) The mass of an eligible 4-axle vehicle whose axle spacing complies with Table 1, must not be more than the axle mass limit set out in Column 6 of Table 1.

2) The mass of an eligible 5-axle vehicle whose axle spacing complies with Table 2, must not be more than the axle mass limit set out in Column 7 of Table 2.

Table 1 – Minimum Axle Spacing, Axle Mass Limits and Ground Contact Width for a 4-Axle All Terrain Mobile Crane

Table 2 – Minimum Axle Spacing, Axle Mass Limits and Ground Contact Width for a 5-Axle All Terrain Mobile Crane

10.   Exemption - Prescribed dimension requirements

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

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

(b)  section 5 – Length (rear overhang)

(c)  section 7 – Width

2) An exemption in 1) only applies to the extent that specific conditional dimension limits are provided in section 11 of this notice.

3) To be clear, if this notice provides for more than one dimension limit that may apply in the same circumstances the more restrictive dimension limit applies.

11.   Dimension requirements – General

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

(a) 16.5m length;

(b) rear overhang of the lesser of 4.0m and 90% of the wheelbase;

(c) 3.5m width;

(d) a projection in front of the centre of the steering wheel of 3.5m.

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

12.   Condition – Axle spacing

1) An eligible vehicle with 4 axles must meet the dimension requirements in Table 1. For a given Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) in Column 1, a vehicle must meet or exceed the axle spacing limits in Columns 2 to 5.

2)  An eligible vehicle with 5 axles must meet the dimension requirements in Table 2. For a given GVM in Column 1, a vehicle must meet or exceed the axle spacing limits in Columns 2 to 6.

13.   Other conditions

1) The section width of each tyre on an eligible vehicle must be at least 445mm.

2) If an eligible vehicle has the centre of a steering control to the left of the vehicle it must—

(a) display a ‘left hand drive’ sign that complies with section 31 of Schedule 2 to the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation on the rear of the vehicle; and

(b) either—

(i) be fitted with a closed-circuit television system that provides the driver with an adequate view to the right rear quarter of the vehicle; or

(ii) be accompanied by a pilot vehicle.

14.   Conditions – Intelligent access program conditions (IAP 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 enrolled in and comply with the following approved intelligent transport systems approved by Transport Certification Australia:

a)      Intelligent Access Program (IAP); or

b)      Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA)

3)      Any approved intelligent transport system required under this section must be functioning while operating under this notice.

15.   Condition – Stated areas or routes

1) An eligible vehicle complying with the conditions of this notice is authorised to operate on areas and routes stated in this section.

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

3) In this notice a reference to a network is a reference to a map or stated route pursuant to section 119(2) of the HVNL.

4) An eligible vehicle may operate on the routes and areas provided in the following network:

Victorian 4 & 5 Axle All Terrain Mobile Crane Network.

Note:  Heavy vehicle road network maps for Victoria are published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), through the NHVR National Network Map

5)  In this section:

Network means a map or stated route, including a list or database, presented electronically or otherwise, that represents the stated areas and stated routes authorised under this notice.

6) An eligible vehicle operating on an area or route specified in the network must comply with any of the following conditions prescribed for that area or route:

(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.   Other Route Restrictions

1)        Notwithstanding section 15–

(a)   an eligible vehicle must not use any part of an approved route consisting of a timber deck bridge;

(b)   an eligible vehicle that has a maximum speed capability of 60km/h or less, must not operate on any freeway or tollway on the approved routes;

(c)   an eligible vehicle that has a maximum speed capability greater than 60km/h may operate on any freeway and tollway on the approved routes.

2)      For the purposes of subsection (b) and (c), the maximum speed capability of a crane is the maximum speed the crane can reach on a horizontal surface, as determined by the crane manufacturer.

17.   Conditions applying to particular routes

1)      An eligible vehicle may not use the approved routes more than twice per day, being once on the inbound journey and once on the outbound journey.

2)      Where practical and safe to do so, an eligible vehicle must avoid being on a bridge at the same time as a B-double, a Class 1 heavy vehicle or a Class 3 heavy vehicle.

3)      If an eligible vehicle is wider than 3.0m, before attempting to cross a tramway track the driver or operator of the vehicle must first obtain permission from the Transport Compliance Unit of the Department of Transport and Planning’s Over Dimensional Load Team.

Peter Austin

Director Policy Implementation

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator