New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

HEAVY VEHICLE (MASS, DIMENSION AND LOADING) NATIONAL REGULATION (NSW) - SCHEDULE 6

SCHEDULE 6 – Dimension requirements

section 37

Part 1 - Preliminary

1 Meaning of rear overhang and rear overhang line

(1) This section defines
"rear overhang" and
"rear overhang line" for this Regulation.

(2) The
"rear overhang" of a vehicle is the distance between the rear of the vehicle and the rear overhang line of the vehicle.

(3) For a vehicle with an axle group at the rear comprising only 1 axle, the
"rear overhang line" is a line running along the centre-line of the axle.

(4) For a vehicle with an axle group at the rear comprising 2 axles, 1 of which is fitted with twice the number of tyres as the other, the
"rear overhang line" is a line running parallel to the axles that is--

(a) closer to the axle carrying the greater number of tyres than it is to the other axle; and

(b) located at one-third of the distance between the 2 axles.

(5) For a vehicle with an axle group at the rear that is not an axle group mentioned in subsection (3) or (4), the
"rear overhang line" is a line running parallel to the axles down the centre of the axle group.

(6) For the purposes of applying subsection (3), (4) or (5) to a vehicle, if an axle group includes at least 1 steerable axle, that axle is to be disregarded unless--

(a) the group comprises only 1 axle and that axle is a steerable axle; or

(b) all the axles in the group are steerable axles.

Examples of rear overhang line--:           

2 The load is part of a vehicle's dimensions

In this Schedule, a reference to a vehicle is taken to include a reference to the vehicle together with its load, unless otherwise stated.

Part 2 - Heavy vehicles

3 Length--combination or single vehicle

(1) A heavy vehicle consisting of a combination or single vehicle must not be longer than--

(a) for a combination other than a B-double, road train or a combination with 2 decks for carrying vehicles--19m; or

(b) for a B-double--25m; or

(c) for a road train--53.5m; or

(d) for a combination, other than a road train, designed to carry vehicles on 2 or more partly or completely overlapping decks--25m; or

(e) for an articulated bus--18m; or

(f) for a bus other than an articulated bus--14.5m; or

(g) for another single vehicle--12.5m.

(3) However, a B-double may be up to 26m long if--

(a) the distance from the front articulation point of the most forward semitrailer to the rear of the B-double is not more than 20.6m; and

(b) the prime mover in the B-double--

(i) is fitted with a front underrun protective device complying with regulation 93 made under the UNECE Agreement or ADR 84--Front Underrun Impact Protection; and

(ii) for a prime mover manufactured after 31 December 2005--is fitted with a cab complying with regulation 29 made under the UNECE Agreement; and

(iii) other than for a deck permitted under subsection (3A), does not have an area carrying, or built to carry, goods.

(3A) A prime mover in a B-double carrying, or designed to carry, vehicles may have a deck fitted over the top of the prime mover that is carrying, or built to carry, a vehicle.

(4) In this section--

"single vehicle" means a heavy motor vehicle that is not towing another vehicle.

"UNECE Agreement" means the 'Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions' done at Geneva on 20 March 1958, as amended from time to time.

Note--: The agreement and the regulations made under it are available on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's website at .

4 Length--trailers

(1) This section applies to a trailer that is, or forms part of, a heavy vehicle.

(2) On a semitrailer, dog trailer or tag trailer--

(a) the distance from the front articulation point to the rear overhang line must not be more than 9.5m; and

(b) the distance from the front articulation point to the rear of the trailer must not be more than 12.3m.

(3) The part of a semitrailer or tag trailer, or anything attached to a semitrailer or tag trailer, in front of the trailer's front articulation point, other than another vehicle, must not protrude beyond the prescribed limit.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3),
"prescribed limit" is an imaginary line created by drawing a semicircle of 1.9m radius from the centre of, and forward of, the front articulation point.

Example--:

(5) A semitrailer with more than 1 front articulation point must comply with subsections (2) and (3) when measured at one of the points.

(6) A trailer built to carry cattle, horses, pigs or sheep on 2 or more partly or completely overlapping decks must not have more than 12.5m of its length available to carry cattle, horses, pigs or sheep.

(7) In a B-double built to carry cattle, horses, pigs or sheep, the 2 semitrailers must not have more than 18.8m of their combined length available to carry cattle, horses, pigs or sheep.

(8) For subsections (6) and (7), the length available for the carriage of cattle, horses, pigs or sheep on a trailer is measured from the inside of the front wall or door of the trailer to the inside of the rear wall or door of the trailer, with any intervening partitions disregarded.

(9) Despite subsection (2)(b), the distance from the front articulation point to the rear of a semitrailer may be up to 13.6m if the trailer--

(a) is designed and constructed for the positive control of temperature through the use of refrigerated equipment; and

(b) has a distance from the front articulation point to the rear overhang line of not more than 9.9m; and

(c) does not operate in a B-double or road train combination; and

(d) otherwise complies dimensionally.

Example--:

(10) Despite subsection (2)(b), the distance from the front articulation point to the rear of the semitrailer may be up to 13.2m if the trailer--

(a) has a distance from the front articulation point to the rear overhang line of not more than 9.5m; and

(b) does not operate in a B-double or road train combination; and

(c) otherwise complies dimensionally.

Example--:

5 Length--rear overhang

(1) The rear overhang of a heavy vehicle must not be more than the lesser of 3.7m and--

(a) for a combination that includes a semitrailer, dog trailer or tag trailer--60% of the distance between the trailer's front articulation point and its rear overhang line; or

(b) for a combination that includes another trailer--the distance between the front of the trailer's body or load carrying area and its rear overhang line; or

(c) for another vehicle--60% of the distance between the centre-line of the front axle and the rear overhang line.

(2) A semitrailer or tag trailer with more than 1 front articulation point must comply with subsection (1)(a) when measured at the same point that is used for measurement for compliance under section 4(4).

(3) Despite subsection (1), if a vehicle built to carry vehicles (the
"primary vehicle" ) has at least 2 decks and a vehicle it is carrying overhangs its rear, the rear overhang of the primary vehicle must not be more than 4.9m.

6 Length--trailer drawbars

(1) This section applies to a trailer that is, or forms part of, a heavy vehicle.

(2) On a dog trailer, the distance between the coupling pivot point on the drawbar and the centre of the front axle group--

(a) must not be more than 5m; and

(b) if the trailer is used in a road train that is longer than 19m--must not be less than 3m.

Example--:

(3) On a trailer, other than a semitrailer or tag trailer, with only 1 axle group, the distance between the coupling pivot point on the drawbar and the centre of the axle group must not be more than 8.5m.

6A Length--front blind spot mirror disregarded

For this Regulation, a front blind spot mirror, fitted to a heavy vehicle in accordance with section 13A of Schedule 2 to the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation , is to be disregarded for the purpose of measuring the length of the heavy vehicle unless the mirror projects more than 150mm beyond the overall length of the heavy vehicle.

6B Length--indirect vision devices disregarded

For this Regulation, an indirect vision device fitted to a heavy vehicle is to be disregarded for the purposes of measuring the length of the heavy vehicle under section 3 or 4--

(a) if the device is fitted to the heavy vehicle under section 13C(a) of Schedule 2 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation ; or

(b) for a device fitted to the heavy vehicle under section 13C(b) of Schedule 2 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation --unless the device projects more than 150mm beyond the overall length of the heavy vehicle.

7 Width

(1) A heavy vehicle must not be wider than 2.5m.

(2) For this Regulation, the width of a heavy vehicle must be measured in accordance with section 8 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation (NSW) >.