1 Title
These Regulations may be cited as the Road
Transport Reform (Mass and Loading) Regulations.
2 Commencement
(1) Regulations 1 and 2 commence on the day on which the
making of these Regulations is notified in the Gazette.
(2) The remaining provisions of these Regulations
commence on a day or days specified by the Commonwealth Minister by notice in
the Gazette.
3 Purpose
The purpose of these Regulations is to provide a
set of nationally uniform or consistent requirements relating to the mass and
loading of vehicles and combinations, to:
(a) increase road safety; and
(b) increase the efficiency and reduce the
administrative costs of road transport; and
(c) reduce the damage that excessively loaded
vehicles and combinations cause to roads and related structures, including
bridges.
4 Interpretation
(1) In these Regulations:
Commonwealth Minister means the Minister of
the Commonwealth administering the Act.
the Act means the Road Transport Reform
(Vehicles and Traffic) Act 1993.
Note For the text of the Road
Transport Reform (Vehicles and Traffic) Act 1993, see Schedule 1 to the National
Transport Commission (Road Transport Legislation — Vehicles and Traffic
Act) Regulations 2005.
(2) Words and phrases defined in the Schedule have the
same meanings in the regulations appearing before the Schedule.
(3) A note does not form part of these Regulations.
(4) A diagram appearing in these Regulations is
illustrative only.
5 Application
of the mass and loading requirements
(1) The Schedule applies to:
(a) a vehicle with a GVM exceeding 4.5 tonnes;
and
(b) a combination that includes a vehicle with a
GVM exceeding 4.5 tonnes; and
(c) a load on a vehicle described in paragraph
(a) or on a combination described in paragraph (b).
(2) The Schedule applies only in the following places:
(a) a road;
(b) an area that divides a road;
(c) a footpath or nature strip adjacent to a
road;
(d) an area that is not a road and that is open
to or used by the public for driving or parking vehicles;
(e) an area that is open to or used by the
public and has been declared in accordance with section 16 of the Act to
be an area to which these Regulations apply.
(3) The Schedule does not apply to a vehicle or
combination that is used only on a railway or tramway, or its load.
Note Under section 15 of the Act, the
Minister can, by notice in the Government Gazette, suspend the operation of all
or part of these Regulations for a specified period, or vary them. A
requirement in the Schedule does not apply to the extent that it is suspended
or varied under the Act.
6 Compliance
with requirements — motor vehicles
(1) If a motor vehicle or a load on a motor vehicle
does not comply with a requirement in the Schedule that applies to it, each of
the following persons is guilty of an offence:
(a) the owner of the motor vehicle;
(b) the driver of the motor vehicle.
(2) A person who is both the owner and the driver of the
motor vehicle may be punished only once for the same failure of the vehicle or
load to comply with a requirement.
7 Compliance
with requirements — trailers
(1) If a trailer or a load on a trailer does not comply
with a requirement in the Schedule that applies to it, each of the following
persons is guilty of an offence:
(a) the owner of the trailer;
(b) the owner of any motor vehicle towing the
trailer;
(c) the driver of any motor vehicle towing the
trailer.
(2) A person who meets more than one of the descriptions
in paragraphs (1) (a), (b) and (c) may be punished only once for the same
failure of the trailer or load to comply with a requirement.
8 Compliance
with requirements — combinations
(1) If a combination fails to comply with a requirement
in the Schedule that applies to it, each of the following persons is guilty of
an offence:
(a) the owner of the motor vehicle included in
the combination;
(b) the driver of the motor vehicle included in
the combination;
(c) the owner of a trailer included in the
combination.
(2) A person who meets more than one of the descriptions
in paragraphs (1) (a), (b) and (c) may be punished only once for the same
failure of the combination to comply with a requirement.
9 Proof
of loading offences
(1) In proceedings for a failure to comply with
subclause 3.1 (1), (2) or (3) of the Schedule (relating to loading a
vehicle), it is sufficient for the prosecution to prove that the load on the
vehicle was not placed, secured or restrained (as the case requires) in a way
that met the performance standards recommended in the Load Restraint Guide:
(a) published by the Australian Government
Publishing Service on 12 December 1994; and
(b) available from Commonwealth Government
Bookshops.
(2) In proceedings for a failure to comply with clause
3.1 of the Schedule, a document purporting to be the Load Restraint Guide referred
to in subclause (1) must be taken to be the Load Restraint Guide, unless
the document is proved not to be the Load Restraint Guide.
(3) If the prosecution in proceedings for a failure to
comply with subclause 3.1 (2) of the Schedule (relating to securing a load
on a vehicle) proves that the load, or part of the load, had fallen off the
vehicle, the burden of proof is on the defendant to show compliance.
10 Penalty
for an offence
(1) A person convicted of an offence under regulation 6,
7 or 8 for a failure to comply with a requirement in Part 1 of the Schedule is
liable to a penalty not exceeding $3 000 for an individual or $15 000
for a body corporate.
(2) A person convicted of an offence under regulation 6,
7 or 8 for a failure to comply with a requirement in Part 2 or 3 of the
Schedule is liable to a penalty not exceeding $2 000 for an individual or
$10 000 for a body corporate.
11 Multiple
offences
A person who is convicted of an offence in relation
to a vehicle or a combination that fails to comply with a requirement in the
Schedule may be convicted of another offence if different parts of the vehicle
or combination simultaneously fail to comply with the same requirement in the
Schedule.
Schedule Mass and
loading requirements
(regulation 5)
Part 1 Mass limits
1.1 Mass limit for a single
vehicle
The total mass of a vehicle and any load must not
exceed the vehicle’s GVM.
1.2 Mass limits for tyres, wheels
and axles
(1) The mass on a wheel or axle must not exceed the
limit set by its manufacturer.
(2) The mass on a tyre must not exceed the greatest
load capacity determined for the tyre by the manufacturer at a cold inflation
pressure that does not exceed:
(a) 825 kilopascals for a radial ply tyre; or
(b) 700 kilopascals for any other tyre.
(3) The mass on an axle group or single axle must not
exceed the limit provided for it in Table 1.
(4) The mass limit in Table 1 that applies to an
axle group that includes a retractable axle must be determined as if the axle
did not exist, unless subclause (5) applies.
(5) A retractable axle is part of an axle group for the
purposes of Table 1 if, when the mass on the group exceeds:
(a) 6 tonnes, in the case of a tandem axle
group; or
(b) 11 tonnes, in the case of a tri-axle group.
the tyres on the axle are in contact with the ground and the
load-sharing suspension system is operating on each axle (including the
retractable axle) and tyre in the group.
(6) The sum of the mass on the axle groups and single
axles on a vehicle or combination must not exceed the sum of the mass limits of
the axle groups and axles, as provided in Table 1.
Table 1 Mass limits
for single axles and axle groups
|
Description of single axle or axle group
|
Mass Limit
(tonnes)
|
|
Single axles and single axle groups
|
|
|
Single steer axle on a motor vehicle
|
6.0
|
|
Single axle or single axle group fitted with single tyres
with section width of:
|
|
|
(a) less than 375 mm
|
6.0
|
|
(b) at least 375 mm but less than 450 mm
|
6.7
|
|
(c) at least 450 mm
|
7.0
|
|
Single axle or single axle group fitted with dual tyres
on:
|
|
|
(a) a pig trailer
|
8.5
|
|
(b) a bus licensed to carry standing passengers
|
10.0
|
|
(c) any other vehicle
|
9.0
|
|
Twinsteer axle groups
|
|
|
Twinsteer axle group without a load-sharing suspension
system
|
10.0
|
|
Twinsteer axle group with a load-sharing suspension system
|
11.0
|
|
Tandem axle groups
|
|
|
Tandem axle group fitted with single tyres with section
width of:
|
|
|
(a) less than 375 mm
|
11.0
|
|
(b) at least 375 mm but less than 450 mm
|
13.3
|
|
(c) at least 450 mm
|
14.0
|
|
Tandem axle group fitted with single tyres on one axle and
dual tyres on the other axle
|
13.0
|
|
Tandem axle group fitted with dual tyres on:
|
|
|
(a) a pig trailer
|
15.0
|
|
(b) any other vehicle
|
16.5
|
|
Tri-axle groups
|
|
|
Tri-axle group on a vehicle fitted with single tyres with
section width of less than 375 mm on all axles, or single tyres on 1 or 2
axles and dual tyres on the other axle or axles
|
15.0
|
|
Tri-axle group on a pig trailer with either single tyres
with section width of at least 375 mm, dual tyres on all axles, or a
combination of those tyres
|
18.0
|
|
Tri-axle group, on a vehicle other than a pig trailer,
with either single tyres with section width of at least 375 mm, dual tyres,
or a combination of those tyres
|
20.0
|
|
Quad-axle groups
|
|
|
Quad-axle group fitted with single tyres with section
width of less than 375 mm
|
15.0
|
|
Quad-axle group fitted with single tyres with section
width of at least 375 mm or dual tyres
|
20.0
|
Note Subclause 4.2 (1) of the
Schedule to the Road Transport Reform (Heavy Vehicle Standards) Regulations
requires axles in all axle groups except twinsteer axle groups to relate to
each other through a load-sharing suspension system.
1.3 Mass limits relating to axle
spacing
(1) If the total mass of a vehicle or a combination, and
any load, cannot lawfully exceed 42.5 tonnes, the mass limits in Table 2
must not be exceeded in relation to the distances set out in the Table that
apply to the vehicle or combination.
(2) Each distance in the Table refers to:
(a) the distance from the centre of any single
axle to the centre of any other single axle; or
(b) the distance from the centre of any single
axle to the centre of the furthest axle in any axle group; or
(c) the greatest distance between the centres of
axles in any 2 axle groups.
Measurement of
distances for Table 2
(3) The mass limits in Table 2 apply to the sum of
the mass on each axle group or single axle in the distance referred to in the
Table, including the axles between which the distance is measured.
(4) The total mass of a vehicle or a combination, and
any load, must not exceed 15 tonnes if the distance between any 2 axles that
are not part of the same axle group is less than 2.5 metres.
Table 2 Mass limits
relating to axle spacing
|
Distance
(metres)
|
Mass limit
(tonnes)
|
|
exceeding
|
not exceeding
|
|
|
0.0
|
3.7
|
23.0
|
|
3.7
|
3.8
|
23.5
|
|
3.8
|
4.0
|
24.0
|
|
4.0
|
4.2
|
24.5
|
|
4.2
|
4.3
|
25.0
|
|
4.3
|
4.5
|
25.5
|
|
4.5
|
4.7
|
26.0
|
|
4.7
|
4.8
|
26.5
|
|
4.8
|
5.0
|
27.0
|
|
5.0
|
5.2
|
27.5
|
|
5.2
|
5.3
|
28.0
|
|
5.3
|
5.5
|
28.5
|
|
5.5
|
5.7
|
29.0
|
|
5.7
|
5.8
|
29.5
|
|
5.8
|
6.0
|
30.0
|
|
6.0
|
6.2
|
30.5
|
|
6.2
|
6.3
|
31.0
|
|
6.3
|
6.5
|
31.5
|
|
6.5
|
6.7
|
32.0
|
|
6.7
|
6.8
|
32.5
|
|
6.8
|
7.0
|
33.0
|
|
7.0
|
7.2
|
33.5
|
|
7.2
|
7.3
|
34.0
|
|
7.3
|
7.5
|
34.5
|
|
7.5
|
7.7
|
35.0
|
|
7.7
|
7.8
|
35.5
|
|
7.8
|
8.0
|
36.0
|
|
8.0
|
8.2
|
36.5
|
|
8.2
|
8.3
|
37.0
|
|
8.3
|
8.5
|
37.5
|
|
8.5
|
8.7
|
38.0
|
|
8.7
|
8.8
|
38.5
|
|
8.8
|
9.0
|
39.0
|
|
9.0
|
9.2
|
39.5
|
|
9.2
|
9.3
|
40.0
|
|
9.3
|
9.5
|
40.5
|
|
9.5
|
9.7
|
41.0
|
|
9.7
|
9.8
|
41.5
|
|
9.8
|
10.0
|
42.0
|
|
10.0
|
|
42.5
|
1.4 Mass limits for combinations
(1) The total mass of a combination other than a road
train or B‑double, and any load, must not exceed 42.5 tonnes.
(2) The loaded mass of a dog trailer or pig trailer must
not exceed the loaded mass of the towing vehicle.
(3) The total mass of a combination, and any load, must
not exceed the towing vehicle’s GCM.
(4) If the manufacturer of a motor vehicle forming part
of a road train or B-double has not determined the GCM of the vehicle, the
total mass of the combination and any load must not exceed the number of
kilograms worked out using the following formula:
where:
K means:
(a) 0.055 if a single drive axle is fitted to
the motor vehicle; or
(b) 0.053 if a single drive tandem axle group is
fitted to the motor vehicle; or
(c) 0.051 if a dual drive tandem axle group is
fitted to the motor vehicle.
M means the number of tyre revolutions per
kilometre as specified by the tyre manufacturer for the tyres fitted to the
driving axle or axles.
R means the overall gear reduction between
engine and drive wheels.
T means the maximum engine net torque in
newton-metres.
Part 2 Size and projection of loads
2.1 Size limits
(1) A vehicle or a combination, and its load, must not
exceed a size limit set for the vehicle or combination in the Road Transport
Reform (Heavy Vehicle Standards) Regulations.
(2) The distance measured at right angles between the
rear overhang line of a vehicle and the rear of any load it is carrying must
not exceed the rear overhang that the vehicle is allowed under the Road
Transport Reform (Heavy Vehicle Standards) Regulations.
Illustration of:
• front projection limit;
and
• rear overhang limit from
Road Transport Reform (Heavy Vehicle Standards) Regulations; and
• maximum rear projection of
load allowed without a warning signal.
(3) In spite of subclauses (1) and (2):
(a) the height of a vehicle that is carrying
vehicles on more than one deck, and its load, must not exceed 4.6 metres; and
(b) the distance measured at right angles between
the rear overhang line of a trailer carrying vehicles on more than one deck and
the rear of the rearmost vehicle on the trailer must not exceed 4.9 metres.
Maximum allowable
dimensions of a loaded car carrier
2.2 Front and side projections
A load on a vehicle must not project more than 1.2
metres in front of the vehicle, or more than 150 millimetres from the outermost
part of either side of it.
Vehicle loaded to
width limits referred to in subclause 2.1 (1), with maximum side
projection of load allowed under clause 2.2
Note The combined dimensions of a vehicle
and its load must still meet the requirements of clause 2.1 even if the load
projects from the vehicle in any direction.
2.3 Rear projections
(1) The rear of a load on a vehicle must carry a
warning signal if the load:
(a) projects more than 1.2 metres behind the vehicle;
or
(b) projects to the rear of the vehicle so that
the end of the load cannot be seen easily from behind; or
(c) is on a pole-type trailer.
(2) In daytime, the warning signal must be a brightly
coloured flag or piece of material, with each side at least 300 millimetres
long.
(3) In the night-time, the warning signal must be a red
light which can be seen for 200 metres.
2.4 Dangerous projections
A load on a vehicle must not project in a way that
is dangerous to a person or to property, even if all dimension and warning
requirements are met.
Part 3 Placing and securing loads
3.1 Loading obligations
(1) A load on a vehicle must not be placed in a way that
makes the vehicle unstable or unsafe.
(2) A load on a vehicle must be secured so that it is unlikely
to fall or be dislodged from the vehicle.
(3) An appropriate method must be used to restrain the
load on a vehicle.
3.2 Trailers
(1) A trailer in a combination must be securely coupled
to the vehicle in front of it.
(2) The components of a coupling used between vehicles
must be compatible and properly connected to each other.
Part 4 Interpretation
Note The following definitions appear in
the Road Transport Reform (Vehicles and Traffic) Act 1993:
motor vehicle means a
vehicle that is built to be propelled by a motor that forms part of the
vehicle.
road means an area that
is open to or used by the public and is developed for, or has as one of its
main uses, the driving or riding of motor vehicles.
trailer means a vehicle
that is built to be towed, or is towed, by a motor vehicle, but does not
include a motor vehicle being towed.
The terms have the same meaning in these Regulations as they have
in the Act.
4.1 Definitions
In this Schedule:
axle means one or more shafts positioned in a
line across a vehicle, on which one or more wheels intended to support the
vehicle turn.
axle group means a single axle group, tandem
axle group, twinsteer axle group, tri-axle group or quad-axle group.
B-double means a combination consisting of a
prime mover towing 2 semi-trailers.
Typical B-double
centre of an axle group means:
(a) a line located midway between the
centre-lines of the outermost axles of the group; or
(b) if the group consists of 2 axles, one of
which is fitted with twice the number of tyres as the other axle — a line
located one third of the way from the centre-line of the axle with more tyres
towards the centre-line of the axle with fewer tyres.
Centre of a
typical tandem axle group fitted with an equal number of tyres on each axle
Centre of a
typical tandem axle group fitted with a different number of tyres on each axle
Centre of a
typical tri-axle group
Centre of a
typical quad-axle group
combination means a motor vehicle connected
to one or more trailers.
converter dolly means a trailer with one axle
group or single axle and a fifth wheel coupling designed to convert a semi‑trailer
into a dog trailer.
Typical converter
dolly
dog trailer means a trailer (including a
trailer consisting of a semi-trailer and converter dolly) with:
(a) one axle group or single axle at the front
that is steered by connection to the towing vehicle by a drawbar; and
(b) one axle group or single axle at the rear.
Typical dog
trailer
drawbar means a part of a trailer (other than
a semi-trailer) that connects the trailer body to a coupling for towing
purposes.
driver means the person driving or in control
of a motor vehicle.
fifth wheel coupling means a device, other
than the upper rotating element and the kingpin (which are parts of a semi‑trailer),
used with a prime mover, semi-trailer or a converter dolly to permit quick
coupling and uncoupling and to provide for articulation.
GCM (gross combination mass), in relation to
a motor vehicle, means the greatest possible sum of the maximum loaded mass of
the motor vehicle and of any vehicles that may lawfully be towed by it at one
time:
(a) as specified by the motor vehicle’s
manufacturer:
(i) on a plate fixed to the vehicle by
the manufacturer; or
(ii) if the manufacturer has not
specified the sum of the maximum loaded mass on a plate fixed to the vehicle —
in another place; or
(b) as specified by the vehicle registration
authority if:
(i) the manufacturer has not specified
the sum of the maximum loaded mass; or
(ii) the manufacturer cannot be
identified; or
(iii) the vehicle has been modified to
the extent that the manufacturer’s specification is no longer appropriate.
GVM (gross vehicle mass) means the maximum
loaded mass of a vehicle:
(a) as specified by the manufacturer; or
(b) as specified by the vehicle registration
authority if:
(i) the manufacturer has not specified
a maximum loaded mass; or
(ii) the manufacturer cannot be
identified; or
(iii) the vehicle has been modified to
the extent that the manufacturer’s specification is no longer appropriate.
load, in relation to a vehicle, includes
anything that is normally removed from the vehicle when the vehicle is not in
use.
load-sharing suspension system means an axle
group suspension system that:
(a) is built to divide the load between the
tyres on the group so that no tyre carries a mass more than 10% greater than
the mass it would carry if the load were divided equally; and
(b) has effective damping characteristics on all
axles of the group.
night-time means the time beginning at sunset
and ending at sunrise.
owner, in relation to a vehicle, means:
(a) if the vehicle:
(i) is registered — a person in
whose name the vehicle is registered under a Commonwealth, State or Territory
Act; or
(ii) is not registered — a person
to whom a mark, plate, or permit has been issued to allow the vehicle to be
used; and
(b) a person who, according to the vehicle
registration authority’s records, has acquired the vehicle from the person in
whose name the vehicle is registered under the relevant law; and
(c) a person who is entitled to the possession
of the vehicle.
pig trailer means a trailer with one axle
group or single axle near the middle of its load-carrying surface, and
connected to the towing vehicle by a drawbar.
Typical pig
trailer
pole-type trailer means a trailer that:
(a) is attached to a towing vehicle by means of
a pole or an attachment fitted to a pole; and
(b) is ordinarily used for transporting loads,
such as logs, pipes, structural members or other long objects, that are
generally capable of supporting themselves like beams between supports.
Typical
pole-type trailer
prime mover means a motor vehicle built to
tow a semi-trailer.
quad-axle group means a group of 4 axles, in
which the horizontal distance between the centre-lines of the outermost axles
is more than 3.2 metres but not more than 4.9 metres.
rear overhang line means:
(a) if there is a single axle at the rear of the
vehicle — the centre-line of the axle; or
(b) if there is an axle group at the rear of the
vehicle — the centre of the axle group, determined without regard to the
presence of any steerable axle or retractable axle in the group unless all
axles in the group are steerable or retractable.
Rear
overhang line on a typical motor vehicle that has an axle group
Rear
overhang line on a typical semi-trailer
retractable axle means an axle that can be
raised so that the tyres on the axle do not touch the ground.
road train means a combination, other than a
B-double, consisting of a motor vehicle towing at least 2 trailers (counting as
one trailer a converter dolly supporting a semi‑trailer).
Typical
triple road train
semi-trailer means a trailer that has:
(a) one axle group or single axle towards the
rear; and
(b) a means of attachment to a prime mover that
would result in some of the load being imposed on the prime mover.
single axle means an axle not forming part of
an axle group.
single axle group means a group of 2 or more
axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre-lines of the
outermost axles is less than 1 metre.
tandem axle group means a group of at least 2
axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre-lines of the
outermost axles is at least 1 metre, but not more than 2 metres.
tri-axle group means a group of at least 3
axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre-lines of the
outermost axles is more than 2 metres, but not more than 3.2 metres.
twinsteer axle group means a group of 2
axles:
(a) with single tyres; and
(b) fitted to a motor vehicle; and
(c) connected to the same steering mechanism;
and
(d) the horizontal distance between whose
centre-lines is at least 1 metre, but not more than 2 metres.
Typical
twinsteer axle group on a motor vehicle
vehicle includes the vehicle’s equipment and
any substances that the vehicle is carrying that are essential for its
operation.
vehicle registration authority, in relation
to a vehicle, means:
(a) the authority that last registered the
vehicle; or
(b) if the vehicle has never been registered —
the authority responsible for registering vehicles in the State or Territory in
which the vehicle is used or is intended to be used.