The NZTA has released details of a number of changes pertaining to ‘high productivity motor vehicles’ (HPMV), due to come into force over the few weeks.
Permit infringements ‘fixed
Changes to the enforcement process and framework for ‘high productivity motor vehicle’ penalties and offences have been outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MoU), that took effect from January 1, 2013.
Developed by NZ Police, the Road Transport Forum and the NZTA, the MoU addresses a number of concerns raised by the transport industry regarding the enforcement of HPMV permit conditions.
When the ‘vehicle dimension and mass’ (VDM) rule amendment was introduced in May 2010, unforeseen consequences arose when existing enforcement processes were applied to the new vehicle types.
In particular, the significant cost of relatively minor breaches of permit conditions created a disincentive for operators to take advantage of the improved freight productivity offered by HPMVs.
Pending a review of the VDM legislation, the revised framework of concessionary axle weight and gross vehicle mass tolerances has been designed to compensate for reasonable and unintended differences in loadings, such as minor variations in weighing equipment and position of loads.
The changes below affect higher mass HPMV permits only and do not apply to over-length permit conditions, unless the vehicles are also operating at higher mass.
These are not tolerances to increase allowable mass, but rather reflect the need of operators to load trucks efficiently and in a timely manner, while recognising the need to preserve the country’s roading assets.
Enforcement officers may apply concessionary weight tolerances to HPMVs as per the following:
* Gross combination mass – No more than 500kg above maximum permit
gross weight across all axle sets.
* Steering axle(s) – No more than 300kg on a single axle or a twin-steer axle
set.
* All other axle sets within a combination – No more than 1000kg on any axle
set.
“These are administrative/concessionary tolerances we’ve jointly agreed that allow for a a degree of inaccurate loading,” says Mark O’Donnell, who has led the work for the NZTA.
“We recognise the need to make this work for the industry and to realise the national economic benefits from moving freight more efficiently,” he says.
Permits length doubled
The NZTA has doubled the duration of HPMV permits from one to two years, effective from last Monday, January 7, 2013. The move will provide efficiencies for both the transport industry and the NZTA itself through the reduction of permits needing to be processed.
Capable bridges on the rise
Transport operators are being encouraged to check the HPMV pages on the NZTA website as bridge capacities are improved. The HPMV bridge improvement program provides an ongoing opportunity to permit holders to increase their tonnage on a route, or extend a route.
In partnership with local councils, the NZTA has made 4800km of state highway and local roads available for varying weights of HPMVs since May 2010.
This figure surpasses initial expectations set out in the recently released National Land Transport Program 2012-15.
This news goes hand in hand with the increased approval of higher weight HPMV applications.
Almost one in two permits are now approved, up from a ratio of one in three last year.
Trials underway for 23m-plus long HPMVs
Interest in this vehicle type continues to grow, a relatively new and challenging area that is beginning to push engineering and network boundaries.
To date only nine operators have been approved as a trial on fixed routes in the central North Island to ensure due diligence on route suitability is carried out before further applications for route approvals are considered.
This includes evaluating the potential economic gains given the moderate increase in deck space and payload capacity offset against any increase in road risk or infrastructure damage.
The NZTA is currently developing practical guidelines for route and vehicle assessments that will need to be considered before any application is lodged or equipment built. This route assessment will take into account international best practice that the NZTA must consider when approving routes for HPMV use.
Until these guidelines are developed and released, operators are urged not to second-guess what might be possible on a proposed over-length HPMV route.
“Before you start looking at investing in new vehicles, operators should contact us first,” says Stephen Patience, HPMV project manager at the NZTA.
The NZTA has a number of pending applications which will be reviewed in early 2013 once the policy has been developed. It should be remembered that any travel on local roads may also require approval from the local council, which is the road controlling authority for that road.
These extra-long vehicles can only be approved following a geometric evaluation of the proposed route to ensure it is suitable for the vehicle. This evaluation must address safety to the vehicle and other road users. An evaluation of the capability of the infrastructure and traffic engineering is, therefore, a critical requirement.
‘We need to evaluate such things as the safety at rail crossings, negotiating intersections and roundabouts, and whether these vehicles can safely operate in their own lanes,’ says Patience.
The guidelines will help an operator evaluate whether specific engineering advice is required and, if so, what is required to obtain a permit for over-length HPMVs on a specific route from source of freight to destination.
This will be included in the HPMV permitting manual on the NZTA website for all stakeholders including the road transport industry, truck and trailer manufacturers, local government, permitting staff and asset managers.
The policy is expected to be completed by March 2013.
Status of the ‘H’ sign
A recent amendment to the ‘vehicle dimensions and mass’ (VDM) rules means that HPMVs that do not have specific route restrictions listed on their permit no longer need to display an ‘H’ sign.
This change mainly applies to proforma over-length HPMV vehicles. Operators are encouraged to review their permits accordingly.
If a permit lists the sign as a condition it is possible to apply for a new permit which no longer includes the condition. However, a new permit fee will be charged to cover the cost of a re-issue
