DRAFT Land Transport Rule for consultation
Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment [(No 2) 2009]
Rule 41001/5
Draft for public comment
Note: This Rule should be read in conjunction with Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002 (PDF).
Land Transport Rules are law produced by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) for the Minister of Transport. The NZTA drafts Rules in plain language to reach a wide audience. Draft Rules go through an extensive consultation process and are refined in response to consultation.
This is the yellow (public consultation) draft of Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment [(No 2) 2009] (Rule 41001/5). Submissions closed on 24 July 2009.
Contents
Section 2 Amendment to the Objective
Section 3 Amendments to Rule requirements
- 3.1 Table 4.1 Dimension requirements for vehicles and vehicle combinations
- 3.2 Clause 4.3 Gross mass limits
- 3.3 Clause 4.5 Road mass limits
- 3.4 Section 5 Permits for overweight vehicles
- 3.5 Clause 6.1 Scope of section 6
Section 4 Insertion of definitions
Section 5 Amendments to Schedules
Section 1 Application
1.1 Title
1.1(1) This Rule is Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment [(No 2) 2009].
1.1(2) This Rule amends Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002.
1.2 Date when Rule comes into force
This Rule comes into force on [Date in 2010].
Section 2 Amendment to the Objective
2.1 Objective
The Objective of the Rule is amended by substituting the following paragraph for paragraph 3:
“The Rule largely carries over from the previous legislation the general maximum envelope of dimension and mass limits, allowing 20 metres and 44 tonnes respectively. It reduces the complexity of, and removes anomalies in, the limits and how they are administered. It allows for permits to be granted for high-productivity motor vehicles to operate on approved routes at greater dimension and mass limits than allowed as of right. For heavy vehicles that are not high-productivity motor vehicles, the overdimension and overweight policies have been rationalised in relation to road and infrastructure requirements, hazard warning systems, piloting and travel times.”
Section 3 Amendments to Rule requirements
3.1 Table 4.1 Dimension requirements for vehicles and vehicle combinations
3.1(1) Table 4.1 is amended:
- (a) by substituting the following rows for the rows relating to overall length (excluding collapsible mirrors):
| “Overall length (excluding collapsible mirrors) | |
| Towing vehicle, full trailer, simple trailer, pole trailer (excluding load) | 11.5 |
| Rigid vehicle (not towing) | 12.6 |
| Articulated bus | 18 |
| Towing vehicle and semi-trailer other than a type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer | 18 |
| Towing vehicle and type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer | 19 |
| Logging vehicle | |
| - excluding load; and | 20 |
| - including load | 22 |
| Towing vehicle and simple trailer | 22 |
| Any other combination of vehicles | 20” |
- (b) by substituting the following rows for the rows relating to forward distance (excluding collapsible mirrors):
| “Forward distance (excluding collapsible mirrors) | |
| Rigid vehicle | 8.5 if fitted with tow coupling 9.5 otherwise |
| Full trailer, simple trailer, pole trailer with drawbar at full extension | 8.5 |
| Articulated bus (both front and rear sections) | 8.5 |
| Semi-trailer that is not type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer | 8.5 |
| Type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer | 9.2”* |
*Consultation note: The current forward-distance limit for a quad-axle semi-trailer is 8.5 m. However, in effect, the distance is 9.4 m when steering performance is taken into account. The proposed amendment would allow a type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer to have a forward distance of 9.2 m, which, in practice, would give an effective forward distance of approximately 9.4 m, thereby giving a type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer the same low speed off-tracking as a non-type 2 quad.
- (c) by substituting the following rows for the rows relating to rear overhang:
| “Rear overhang | |
| Heavy rigid vehicle | 4.0 or 70% of wheelbase (whichever is less) for a vehicle whose rearmost axle is a non-steering axle 4.25 or 70% of wheelbase (whichever is less) for a vehicle whose rearmost axle is a steering axle |
| Articulated bus, heavy simple trailer, heavy pole trailer with one axle set | 4.0 or 50% of forward distance (whichever is less) |
| Heavy semi-trailer other than: (i) a Class TC caravan trailer; or (ii) a type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer |
4.0 or 50% of forward distance (whichever is less) |
| Type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer | 4.3 or 50% of forward distance (whichever is less) |
| Heavy full trailer, heavy pole trailer with two axle sets | 4.0 or 50% of wheelbase (whichever is less) |
| Class TC caravan trailer that is a semi-trailer | 4.0 or 65% of forward distance (whichever is less) |
| All other vehicles | 4.0” |
3.1(2) Clause 4.1 is amended by inserting the following subclause:
- “4.1(10A) A logging vehicle combination with an overall length of more than 20.5 m must be fitted with a rear underrun system designed to UN/ECE Regulation 58 or FMVSS 223/224, if:
- “(a) the rear overhang of the log load is greater than 0.55 m when measured forward from the rearmost part of the load to the rearmost substantive part of the vehicle; and
- “(b) the height of any log overhang above the ground is more than 0.55 m.”
3.2 Clause 4.3 Gross mass limits
Subclause 4.3(6) is amended by substituting “36,000 kg” for “32,000 kg”.
3.3 Clause 4.5 Road mass limits
Subclause 4.5(1) is amended by inserting the words “Part A of” before the words “Schedule 2”.
Clause 4.5 is amended by inserting the following subclause:
- “4.5(1A) A high-productivity motor vehicle that is operating in accordance with a permit issued under clause 5.2 must not exceed the mass limits for road and bridge preservation applicable to the axles, axle sets and gross mass in Schedule 2.”
3.4 Section 5 Permits for overweight vehicles
Section 5 of the Rule is revoked and the following section is substituted:
- “Section 5 Permits for overweight vehicles
- “5.1 Permits for overweight vehicles transporting indivisible loads
- “5.1(1) A road controlling authority may issue a permit under this clause to transport indivisible loads for a heavy motor vehicle that:
- “(a) exceeds the mass limits in section 4; and
- “(b) is not a high-productivity motor vehicle.
- “5.1(2) A permit may only be issued under this clause, if the road controlling authority has given due consideration to:
- “(a) the safety of the vehicle; and
- “(b) road users; and
- “(c) the durability of roads and bridges on which the vehicle may operate.
- “5.1(3) A permit issued under this clause may specify conditions, which may include the following:
- “(a) the heavy motor vehicle’s maximum gross mass and axle mass;
- “(b) the period of travel;
- “(c) the number of trips the vehicle is allowed to make;
- “(d) restrictions on the vehicle’s speed;
- “(e) restrictions relating to weather conditions;
- “(f) the roads or types of road on which the vehicle may operate;
- “(g) the type and amount of the load transported;
- “(h) the times of the day during which the vehicle may be operated;
- “(i) any other conditions under which the vehicle may be operated.
- “5.1(4) A vehicle for which a permit has been issued under this clause must also comply with the following conditions:
- “(a) the vehicle must not exceed the gross vehicle mass, gross combination mass or maximum towed mass specified by the manufacturer of the vehicle; and
- “(b) the vehicle must, if required under the Road User Charges Act 1977, have a current road user licence issued under that Act for the correct weight of the vehicle as specified in the permit.
- “5.2 Permits for overweight high-productivity motor vehicles
- “5.2(1) A road controlling authority may issue a permit under this clause for a high-productivity motor vehicle with a gross mass of more than 44,000 kg but not more than 53,000 kg to allow the vehicle to exceed the mass limits in section 4.
- “5.2(2) The Agency may, after consultation with the appropriate road controlling authority or authorities, issue a permit under this clause for a high-productivity motor vehicle with a gross mass of up to and including 53,000 kg or more to allow the vehicle to exceed the mass and dimension limits in section 4.
- “5.2(3) A permit may only be issued under this clause, if:
- “(a) the requirements in 5.2(4) are satisfied; and
- “(b) the road controlling authority or the Agency has duly considered:
- “(i) the safety of the vehicle; and
- “(ii) road users; and
- “(iii) the durability of roads and bridges on which the vehicle may operate.
- “5.2(4) The requirements for the issue of a permit are:
- “(a) the applicable axle and axle set requirements and gross mass limits in Schedule 2 must be complied with; and
- “(b) the towing vehicle must have two motor-driven axles in a tandem axle or tri-axle set, or three motor-driven axles in a tri-axle set; and
- “(c) the trailer, or trailers in combination, must have at least four axles; and
- “(d) except as provided in (a) to (c), all the requirements in section 4 must be complied with.
- “5.2(5) A permit issued under this clause may specify conditions including the following:
- “(a) the heavy motor vehicle’s maximum gross mass and axle mass; and
- “(b) the roads or types of road on which the vehicle may operate; and
- “(c) any other conditions under which the vehicle may be operated.
- “5.2(6) A vehicle for which a permit has been issued under this clause must also comply with the following conditions:
- “(a) the vehicle may not exceed the gross vehicle mass, gross combination mass or maximum towed mass specified by the manufacturer of the vehicle; and
- “(b) the vehicle must, if required under the Road User Charges Act 1977, have a current road user licence issued under that Act for the correct weight of the vehicle as specified in the permit; and
- “(c) the vehicle must continue to comply with the requirements in 5.2(4).
- “5.2(7) To avoid doubt, the operator of a high-productivity motor vehicle issued with a permit under this clause does not have to comply with the requirements in section 6 or 7.
- “5.3 Roads under the control of other road controlling authorities
- “If a permit covers a road under the control of another road controlling authority, the road controlling authority that issues the permit must obtain the written consent of all the relevant road controlling authorities for travel on roads under their control.
- “5.4 Form of a permit
- “A permit issued under this section must be:
- “(a) issued in Form 1 in Schedule 3, or in a form having the same effect; and
- “(b) must be signed by a duly authorised officer of the appropriate road controlling authority or the Agency (as applicable).
- “5.5 Fee for a permit
- “The fee for the issue of a permit under this section is:
- “(a) prescribed under regulation 7(1A) of the Heavy Motor Vehicle Regulations 1974; and
- “(b) specified in Schedule 4A of those Regulations.
- “5.6 Revocation of a permit
- “5.6(1) A road controlling authority may immediately revoke a permit issued by it under clause 5.1, as a result of adverse weather conditions, if, in its opinion, the continued operation of the heavy motor vehicle may cause extraordinary damage to the road.
- “5.6(2) A road controlling authority, or the Agency, may immediately revoke a permit issued by it under clause 5.2 if, in its opinion, the continued operation of the high-productivity motor vehicle may cause extraordinary damage to the road infrastructure.
- “5.6(3) The Agency may revoke a permit issued under this section, or may authorise the Commissioner to revoke the permit, if the Agency considers there is a significant risk to public safety.
- “5.6(4) A road controlling authority may revoke a permit issued by it under this section if it considers that any of the conditions of the permit have not been complied with.
- “5.6(5) The Agency may revoke a permit issued under clause 5.2 if it considers that any of the conditions of the permit have not been complied with.
- “5.6(6) Revocation under 5.6(3), 5.6(4) or 5.6(5) must be made as soon as is practicable by giving notice in writing to the operator of the vehicle, providing reasons for the revocation.”
3.5 Clause 6.1 Scope of section 6
Section 6 is amended by substituting the following clause for clause 6.1:
- “6.1 Scope of this section
- “6.1(1) Except as provided in 6.1(2), this section applies to:
- “(a) motor vehicles that exceed the dimension limits in section 4; and
- “(b) standard motor vehicles that transport overdimension loads.
- “6.1(2) This section does not apply to high-productivity motor vehicles.
- “6.1(3) The vehicles in 6.1(1) may be one of the following:
- “(a) a standard motor vehicle transporting an overdimension load;
- “(b) a specialist overdimension motor vehicle;
- “(c) a motor vehicle designed primarily to transport an overdimension load.
- “6.1(4) This section specifies the criteria with which vehicles in 6.1(1) must comply in order to operate on a road.”
Section 4 Insertion of definitions
4.1 Insertion of definitions
Part 2 is amended by inserting the following definitions in the appropriate place:
- “High-productivity motor vehicle means a motor vehicle or motor vehicle combination that carries a divisible load and, with or without a load, exceeds:
- “(a) the mass and dimension limits in Table 6 of Part A of Schedule 2; or
- “(b) the dimension limits in Table 4.1.”
- “Logging vehicle means a vehicle that is constructed exclusively for transporting timber logs using permanently fitted log bolsters.”
- “Type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer means a semi-trailer with a quad-axle set where the foremost of the two steering axles remains locked in the straight ahead position at a speed of 30 km/h or more.”
Section 5 Amendments to Schedules
5.1 Amendments to Schedules
- “5.1(1) Part 3 is amended by substituting the schedule set out in Schedule 1 to this Rule for Schedule 2.
- “5.1(2) Schedule 3 is amended:
- (a) by substituting “Ref. 5.4” for “Ref. 5.1(4)”; and
- (b) by revoking Form 2 (Notice of Intention to Issue Overweight Permit).
Schedule 1 New Schedule 2 [Ref. 5.1(1)]
“Schedule 2 Maximum mass for heavy motor vehicles [Ref. 4.5(1A)]
Part A General requirements
- Table 1 Maximum mass on individual axles
| Type of axle | Mass (kg) | |
| 1 | Single standard tyres: | |
| (a) in a twin-steer axle set, or in a tandem axle set with a twin or single large-tyred axle | 5400 | |
| (b) in any other axle set | 6000 | |
| 2 | Single large-tyred: | |
| (a) in a twin-steer axle set | 5400 | |
| (b) in a quad-axle set | 6000 | |
| (c) in a tandem axle set with two single large-tyred axles or in a tandem axle set with a single standard-tyred axle or in a tri-axle set | 6600 | |
| (d) in any other axle set | 7200 | |
| 3 | Twin-tyred: | |
| (a) in a quad-axle set | 6000 | |
| (b) in a tri-axle set | 7300 | |
| (c) in any other axle set | 8800 | |
| 4 | Oscillating axle, in any axle set | 9500 |
- Table 2 Maximum sum of axle mass on two axles in a tandem axle set
| Type of axle | Mass (kg) | |
| 1 | Two single standard-tyred axles: | |
| (a) in a twin-steer set | 10,800 | |
| (b) not in a twin-steer set | 11,000 | |
| 2 | Two single large-tyred axles: | |
| (a) in a twin-steer set | 10,800 | |
| (b) not in a twin-steer set | 13,000 | |
| 3 | Two twin-tyred axles: | |
| (a) spaced less than 1.3 m from the first axle to the last axle | 15,000 | |
| (b) spaced 1.3 m or more from the first axle to the last axle | 16,000 | |
| 4 | Twin-tyred axle: | |
| (a) with a single large-tyred axle and 60/40 load share | 13,600 | |
| (b) with a single large-tyred axle and 55/45 load share | 14,500 | |
| 5 | Single standard- tyred axle with an oscillating axle | 13,000 |
| 6 | Single standard-tyred axle with a single large-tyred axle | 12,000 |
| 7 | Single standard-tyred axle with a twin-tyred axle | 13,300 |
| 8 | Two oscillating axles | 15,000 |
- Table 3 Maximum sum of axle mass in a tri-axle set
| Type of axle set | Mass (kg) |
| Three oscillating axles, three twin-tyred axles, or three large- tyred axles: | |
| (a) spaced 2.5 m or more from the first axle to the last axle | 20,000 |
| (b) spaced 2.4 m or more and less than 2.5 m from the first axle to the last axle | 18,000 |
| (c) spaced 2 m or more and less than 2.4 m from the first axle to the last axle | 16,000 |
- Table 4 Maximum sum of axle mass in a quad-axle set
| Type of axle | Mass (kg) |
| Four twin-tyred axles, or four single large-tyred axles (other than in a type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer) | 20,000 |
| Four twin-tyred axles, or four single large-tyred axles (in a type 2 quad-axle semi-trailer) | 22,000 |
- Table 5 Maximum sum of mass on any two or more axles that together do not constitute a single tandem axle set, single tri-axle set or single quad-axle set, where distance from centre of first axle to centre of the last axle is 1.0 m or more but less than 2.0 m (including maximum gross mass)
| Type of axle | Mass (kg) | |
| 1 | Two single standard-tyred axles | 10,800 |
| 2 | Two single large-tyred axles | 12,000 |
| 3 | A single standard-tyred axle with a single large-tyred axle or a twin-tyred axle | 12,000 |
| 4 | Any other two or more axles | 14,500 |
- Table 6 Maximum sum of mass on any two or more axles that together do not constitute a single tandem axle set, single tri-axle set or single quad-axle set, where the distance from the centre of the first axle to the centre of the last axle is 2.0 m to 13.5 m (including maximum gross mass)
| Where the distance from the centre of the first axle to the centre of the last axle is: |
Mass (kg) |
| 2.0 m but less than 2.5 m | 16,000 |
| 2.5 m but less than 3.0 m | 17,500 |
| 3.0 m but less than 3.5 m | 19,000 |
| 3.5 m but less than 4.0 m | 20,500 |
| 4.0 m but less than 4.5 m | 22,000 |
| 4.5 m but less than 5.0 m | 23,500 |
| 5.0 m but less than 5.5 m | 25,000 |
| 5.5 m but less than 6.0 m | 26,500 |
| 6.0 m but less than 6.5 m | 28,000 |
| 6.5 m but less than 7.0 m | 29,500 |
| 7.0 m but less than 7.5 m | 31,000 |
| 7.5 m but less than 8.0 m | 32,500 |
| 8.0 m but less than 8.5 m | 34,000 |
| 8.5 m but less than 9.0 m | 35,000 |
| 9.0 m but less than 9.5 m | 36,000 |
| 9.5 m but less than 10.0 m | 37,000 |
| 10.0 m but less than 10.5 m | 38,000 |
| 10.5 m but less than 11.0 m | 39,000 |
| 11.0 m but less than 11.5 m | 40,000 |
| 11.5 m but less than 12.0 m | 41,000 |
| 12.0 m but less than 12.5 m | 42,000 |
| 12.5 m but less than 13.0 m | 43,000 |
| 13.0 m but less than 13.5 m | 44,000 |
Part B High-productivity motor vehicles (operating under a permit issued under clause 5.2)
- Table 1 Maximum sum of mass on any two or more axles that together do not constitute a single tandem axle set, single tri-axle set or single quad-axle set, where the distance from the centre of the first axle to the centre of the last axle is 13.5 m or more
| Distance from the centre of the first axle to the centre of the last axle | Mass (kg) |
| 13.5 m but less than 14.0 m | 45,000 |
| 14.0 m but less than 14.5 m | 46,000 |
| 14.5 m but less than 15.0 m | 47,000 |
| 15.0 m but less than 15.5 m | 48,000 |
| 15.5 m but less than 16.0 m | 49,000 |
| 16.0 m but less than 16.5 m | 50,000 |
| 16.5 m but less than 17.0 m | 51,000 |
| 17.0 m but less than 17.5 m | 52,000 |
| 17.5 m but less than 18.0 m | 53,000 |
| 18.0 m but less than 18.5 m | 54,000 |
| 18.5 m but less than 19.0 m | 55,000 |
| 19.0 m but less than 19.5 m | 56,000 |
| 19.5 m but less than 20.0 m | 57,000 |
| 20.0 m but less than 20.5 m | 58,000 |
| 20.5 m but less than 21.0 m | 59,000 |
| 21.0 m but less than 21.5 m | 60,000 |
| 21.5 m but less than 22.0 m | 61,000 |
| 22.0 m or more | 62,000 or more” |
DRAFT Land Transport Rule - Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment [(No 2) 2009] - Rule 41001/5
NZ Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi