Changes to the enforcement process and framework for ‘high productivity motor vehicle’ (HPMV) penalties and offences have been outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MoU), due to take 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 table:
* 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.
