Contents

Objective of the Rule

Extent of consultation

Section 1     Application

• 1.1     Title
• 1.2     Date when Rule comes into force
• 1.3     Scope of Rule

Section 2     Amendments to Rule requirements

• 2.1     Skid plates and kingpins

 

Objective of the Rule

Land Transport Rule: Heavy Vehicles Amendment 2011 amends Land Transport Rule: Heavy Vehicles 2004 (the Heavy Vehicles Rule), which sets out safety requirements and standards for heavy vehicles (ie vehicles with a gross vehicle mass of more than 3500 kilograms).

The objective of this Rule is to amend the Heavy Vehicles Rule to:

• correct an unintended consequence of a previous amendment which would have required a semi-trailer in a dedicated combination coupled with a ball and socket to have a skid plate, a requirement with which the ball and socket could not comply;
• remove the requirement for a kingpin to be tested or replaced every 100,000 kilometres. This requirement is considered to be unnecessary as the improper modification or poor manufacture of kingpins is covered by other rules. This change will reduce compliance costs, without reducing safety.

 

Extent of consultation

For the purposes of consultation, amendments proposed to Land Transport Rule: Heavy Vehicles 2004 and five other Land Transport Rules were combined into a single draft Rule, Land Transport Rule: Omnibus Amendment 2010 (the Omnibus Amendment Rule).

On 23 November 2010, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) sent details of the amendment proposals by letter or email to approximately 1800 groups and individuals who had registered an interest in the Rules to be amended. The draft Omnibus Amendment Rule was made available through the NZTA Contact Centre and, together with Questions and Answers, was also available on the NZTA’s website. The availability of the draft for comment was publicised in the metropolitan daily newspapers in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin and in the New Zealand Gazette. The NZTA received 26 submissions on the draft Omnibus Amendment Rule, of which 13 commented on the proposed amendments in this Rule.

Following consultation, the provisions in the draft Omnibus Amendment Rule were split into six separate amendment Rules, including this Rule. The submissions that were received were taken into account in drafting this amendment Rule before it was submitted to the Minister of Transport for signing.

 

Section 1     Application

1.1     Title

This Rule is Land Transport Rule: Heavy Vehicles Amendment 2011.

 

1.2     Date when Rule comes into force

This Rule comes into force on 1 April 2011.

 

1.3     Scope of Rule

This Rule amends Land Transport Rule: Heavy Vehicles 2004.

 

Section 2     Amendments to Rule requirements

2.1    Skid plates and kingpins

2.1(1)     Subclause 4.8(1) is amended by substituting the following for paragraph 4.8(1)(b):

1. “(b)   if fitted with a kingpin, be fitted with a skid plate; and”.

2.1(2)     Clause 4.8 is amended by deleting subclauses 4.8(7), 4.8(8) and 4.8(9).