Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2016

Overview

The Government is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the regulatory framework for heavy vehicles and invites comment on the public consultation (yellow) draft of Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass (2016).

The proposed Rule (Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2016) is designed to deliver productivity improvements, greater regulatory efficiency and reduced compliance costs without compromising the road transport system and road user safety outcomes.  The goals of the main changes are outlined below.

• Allow operators to carry more freight and passengers per trip, by better utilising the existing capabilities of heavy vehicles (within manufacturers’ specifications), and capacity of the road network.
• Encourage fleet renewal by allowing industry to access a wider range of suppliers of vehicles built to international dimensions and mass limits with modern safety, emissions, and performance technologies. 
• Provide for more effective planning in the movement of the largest (Category 4) overdimension loads.
• Allow local authorities greater flexibility in permitting, and clarify the categories of loads under permit.
• Decrease non-compliant operators’ levels of accepted overloading by reducing weighing tolerance thresholds. 

If you wish to comment on this draft Rule, please see the page headed ‘Making a submission’. The deadline for submissions is 5pm, Friday 12 August 2016.

Consultation on proposed rule changes

The proposed Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2016 is intended to replace the current Rule, which dates from 2002.

Consultation on the proposed changes is being carried out to ensure that legislation is sound and robust and that the Rules development process takes account of the views of, and the impact on, people affected by proposed Rule changes.

The proposed changes, for your comment, are set out in:

(a)   an overview, which sets proposed Rule changes in context; and

(b)   the consultation (yellow) draft of Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2016 (‘the draft Rule’).

Please read the overview carefully and consider the effects that the proposed Rule and regulation changes would have on you or your organisation.

Consultation documents

• Draft Rule [PDF, 2 MB]
• Overview [PDF, 840 KB]
• Questions and answers [PDF, 1.1 MB]
• Navigation chart (where are 2002 Rule provisions in the 2016 Rule?) [PDF, 217 KB]
• What’s new (focus on new duties and responsibilities) [PDF, 307 KB]
• Report: Pavement Cost Impact from Increased Bus and Truck Axle Loads [PDF, 701 KB]
• Report: Pavement Cost Impact from Increased Gross Vehicle Mass [PDF, 423 KB]
• Report: Operator Costs and Benefits from Selected VDAM Proposals [PDF, 900 KB]

Read the Cabinet Paper and Regulatory Impact Statement.(external link)

Read the summary of submissions received for the draft VDAM Rule 2016. [PDF, 649 KB]