Frequently asked questions for for HVAMS
A vehicle is a Class 1 heavy vehicle if it, or together with its load, exceeds a prescribed mass or dimension requirement.
It is either a:
- Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which is a motor vehicle or trailer (other than an agricultural vehicle or a tow truck), built for a purpose other than carrying goods (e.g. mobile crane, a concrete pump, drill rig or fire truck).
- Oversize Overmass (OSOM) vehicle designed for the purpose of carrying a large indivisible item, for example:
- a combination including a low loader; but is not a road train or B-double
- or
- a freight container designed for multi-modal transport.
- Agricultural vehicle other than an agricultural trailer (e.g. harvesters and tractors).
For more information refer to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator's definition of Class 1 vehicles.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has identified several issues driving the need for a new access regime for Class 1 heavy vehicles, to effectively meet our regulatory and legislative requirements as a responsible road manager and facilitate heavy vehicle access in a way that is safe and sustainable on our network for all road users.
Some of our bridges are not designed for the current freight task
Our road network includes over 3,100 bridges ranging in age from 100 years old to recently constructed. Although we constantly improve our network to keep pace with bridge design standards and the modern vehicle fleet, some of our bridges were designed and built before the modern Class 1 fleet existed which means they are not designed for the task to carry these vehicles and have a finite load carrying capacity. About half of our bridge network was designed for a 3 axle 33 tonne truck or less and about 15% (500) of our bridges are built to current engineering design standards which have been in place over the past 20 years. This equates to a new bridge being constructed every 2 weeks.
Class 1 vehicles including low loaders, load platforms and special purpose vehicles. They represent less than 1% of all heavy vehicle movements on our state-controlled road network, yet from a structural engineering perspective they pose the greatest risk to our road and bridges due to their higher mass and concentrated load configuration.
We've undertaken extensive research to understand the risks associated with loads our bridges can support relative to their respective bridge design standards to help us understand how far we can continue to safely 'sweat our assets'. Our research has revealed the current access regime allows access for some Class 1 heavy vehicles beyond the assessed capacity of our bridges.
Now that we have a better understanding of how far we can push our assets safely and sustainably we are using this as the basis for heavy vehicle access moving forward.
Industry vehicle choice and loading behaviour has changed
The current Class 1 vehicle access regime was established in 1987 and like most states, it was based on allowable mass tables developed using 1970's engineering (before computers). Since this time there have been significant developments in the type of Class 1 vehicles, as well as industry vehicle choice and loading behaviour.
Many of the Class 1 vehicles that are operating today did not exist in the 1980s, or were very rare and only made infrequent trips, when the current access regime was first developed. This is at a time when the demand for movements of large loads in Queensland is growing, especially in the mining sector and in renewable energy infrastructure projects. In many cases Class 1 vehicles are not operated over bridges as designed and indivisible loads are not made truly indivisible.
The current access regime has limitations
Our research tells us, the current permit application and approval processes can be slow, cumbersome, and time intensive impacting permit approval timeframes and business opportunities for industry operators.
The current access regime also has limited certainty and visibility of access and mass limits, which inhibits industry operators' ability to plan movements with confidence. TMR lacks visibility of network usage (vehicles, mass, and structure crossings) to inform asset and access management, and investment decisions.
Additionally, the current access conditions and restrictions on the road network can be inconsistent throughout Queensland, and not easily accessible or understood by industry operators.
We will implement the new access regime in stages.
Stage 1 will include Class 1 load carrying Oversize Overmass (OSOM) vehicles including low loaders and load platform trailers greater than 59.5t. We expect this to occur in 2024.
The current Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicle Mass Exemption Notice vehicles are not in scope at the moment.
Stage 2 will include Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) mobile cranes and Department of Defence vehicles. We expect this will occur soon after Stage 1 is complete.
Note: Class 1 Agricultural Vehicles are not in scope at this stage.
We have focused on these Class 1 heavy vehicles first because while Class 1 heavy vehicles represent less than 1% of all heavy vehicle movements on our state-controlled road network, from a structural engineering perspective they pose the greatest risk to our bridges due to their higher mass and concentrated load configuration.
Yes. The new Class 1 regime will become the new way of obtaining access for Class 1 heavy vehicles in Queensland as each vehicle fleet is included.
There will be a transition period to allow time for the heavy vehicle industry, including industry operators and road managers, to fully understand the new vehicle access regime and to plan for changes including mandatory in-vehicle monitoring equipment.
We recognise we will need to allow sufficient time for some industry operators to fit certified telematic equipment to Class 1 vehicles and Smart On-board Mass management (Smart OBM) to be available for hydraulic suspension systems. We are continuing to consult with Transport Certification Australia and approved service providers to enable this technology.
Access will be based on safe and sustainable individual structural and network operating capacities of bridges and roads to support specific vehicle configurations and loading options.
For every bridge we'll have a profile of what specific Class 1 vehicles can cross that bridge safely and under what access conditions and required level of assurance. We'll assess each individual vehicle at different axle groups and masses to give access.
For every road segment we'll have a maximum dimension envelope. We'll assess each individual vehicle and load dimensions against the road dimension envelopes to give access.
This is a move away from the prescriptive one-size-fits-all mass and dimension limits we apply in the current access regime. For example, the current practice of allowing access for heavy load platform configurations at 15t per axle based on a table within the TMR Vehicle Limits Manual will no longer be applicable.
Structure and network capacities will determine access levels.
A National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Class 1 Notice will be published on the NVHR website detailing the conditions of notice access. Access will be determined through the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS). Access under dynamic notice will be based on assessment of each individual vehicle's mass and dimensions against the capacity of each road and bridge in Queensland.
HVMAS will generate a tailored state access map for an individual vehicle with associated access conditions. You can use this map to visually identify a viable route for your journey, and confirm any pilot and escort requirements, special travel conditions over bridges and other important information like time curfews and road closures. This map is your legal access map, and your journey can start.
There may be instances where the mass and dimensions a vehicle presently operates under for the current regime are available under notice access because for some of our bridges, the current load limits are not sustainable repeated movements under Notice.
HVAMS will show all restricted bridges and roads and you'll be able to explore options within the system to facilitate Notice access such as by reducing the load mass, changing vehicle configuration by adding additional axles, or finding an alternative route around the restricted asset. Each time you re-enter your vehicle details the access map is updated, and this is why it is referred to as a 'dynamic' Notice.
If these options do not yield a viable route for your journey under Notice or your vehicle does not comply with the HVAMS entry criteria and entry dimension envelope of 5.4m high, 8m wide or 45m long, you'll be required to apply for a Special Access Permit through the NVHR Portal, as per the current access regime.
The Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) was developed by the Tasmania Department of State Growth (TDSG). They consulted with Tasmanian road managers, heavy vehicle operators, industry bodies and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), to introduce HVAMS to the Over-size Over-mass industry in 2016. Since this time, and due to its success, TDSG have expanded HVAMS to include Special mobile cranes.
HVAMS is a proven and accepted online access management system which automates the road and structure assessment function of heavy vehicle access decisions under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL). It helps road managers make better access decisions and provides the heavy vehicle industry with access certainty through a generated tailored access map for their individual vehicle with associated access conditions. Industry can use this map to visually identify a viable route for your journey, and confirm any pilot and escort requirements, special travel conditions over bridges and other important information like time curfews and road closures. This map is the legal access map, and their journey can start immediately.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) consulted with other state jurisdictions and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to investigate and analyse different heavy vehicle access management systems in use across Australia. We concluded that the Tasmanian HVAMS presents the best solution to meet the needs of TMR, road managers and Queensland's Class 1 heavy vehicle industry operators. Hence it is central to the new Class 1 access regime.
Since HVAMS was introduced into Tasmania, which includes the participation of all councils in Tasmania, it has been shown to significantly reduce administrative costs and permit related workloads for industry and road managers by automating the access decision making process.
HVAMS has many innovative solutions and benefits including:
- an access vehicle interface that collects vehicle parameters which are used by analysis tools within the system for access decision making
- modules for assessing heavy vehicle access requests against structures and roads
- a mapping interface to display the available network and conditions matched to the user's heavy vehicle. This includes access conditions such as structure crossing conditions, road closures, pilot and escort requirements, and curfews.
Importantly, HVAMS will provide Queensland a pathway to be part of a National Automated Access System (NAAS). In July 2023 all Australian Transport Ministers and Departments agreed that a NAAS will be based on HVAMS and informed by the HVAMS version 3.0 implementation projects underway in Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland. Austroads are the project manager to oversee the development of the NAAS and we are working closely with them to ensure there is synergy across our projects.
Refer to the TDSG information sheet (PDF, 452KB) to find out more about HVAMS.
Access to the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) will be via the National Heavy Vehicle Regular (NHVR) website. You will enter your vehicle combination details including dimensions and mass, and your telematics details for vehicle eligibility directly into HVAMS. The system confirms your vehicle is eligible for Notice access and issues you with a vehicle identification number for future use. The roads and bridges are automatically assessed within the system against your actual vehicle.
A state-wide access map is generated for your unique vehicle combination with roads and bridges displayed as unconditional, conditional, or no access. You can visually use this information to identify a viable route for your journey, and confirm any pilot and escort requirements, special travel conditions over bridges and other important information like time curfews and road closures. This map is your legal access map, and your journey can start.
There may be instances where the mass and dimensions your vehicles operate at under the current regime are not available under Notice access. This is a result of the mismatch between engineering assessment and the current access regime. For some of our bridges, the current load limits are not sustainable for repeated movements under Notice.
If you find a bridge or road on your preferred route is labelled as no access, then there are 4 options for you to explore:
- Reduce the load mass and amend your combination details.
- Amend your combination details and change your vehicle configuration such as adding additional axles to spread the load across more axles thereby reducing the individual axle masses.
- Plan your journey around the no access bridges and roads.
- Apply for a Special Access Permit if these options do not yield a viable route for your journey under notice.
The advantage of HVAMS is that you will be advised of all restricted bridges and roads quickly and you'll be able to explore options to facilitate Notice access in real-time within the HVAMS system.
Yes. We are currently consulting with the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), individual local councils and other road managers including ports to integrate other road manager road and bridge information into the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) as part of a staged process beginning late 2024.
ALGA's Board of Directors has endorsed HVAMS as the preferred access model for a National Automated Access System (NAAS) because of the benefits HVAMS offers local councils.
We understand the importance of including other road manager networks into HVAMS because they are important for first and last mile access and it's important we include these in the new access regime, for industry operators and road managers to realise the full productivity benefits.
We're taking a staged approach to include these road networks, focusing on road networks that have the highest number of Class 1 Oversize Overmass movements first.
No. If access is not available through the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System, the sustainable access threshold may have been exceeded or there is a restriction preventing the access level sought under Notice. In this case, you'll need to apply for a Special Access Permit through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Portal.
If the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) does not yield a viable route for your journey under Notice or your vehicle does not comply with the HVAMS entry criteria and entry dimension envelope of 5.4m high, 8m wide or 45m long, you'll be required to apply for a Special Access Permit and individual engineering assessment.
You apply for a Special Access Permit through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Portal the same as the current access regime.
To inform our engineering assessment and to meet our obligations under the Professional Engineering Act you'll need to verify each of the following:
- all options to operate in a sustainable way under HVAMS have been explored
- there are no viable alternative vehicles/combinations available
- the mass/dimension of the load cannot be reduced any further
- there is no viable network in HVAMS available
- the vehicle and load mass details are verified
- the vehicle is fitted with complying telematics
- a special circumstance exists.
Bridges and roads on the requested route will be assessed by our engineers for your vehicle combination. Assessment timings will be in accordance with National Heavy Vehicle Law consent timeframes.
If access is acceptable, we will approve for the requested route with individualised travel conditions and a permit duration based on the movement need. We will no longer be approving blanket 12-month permits.
We expect Special Access Permit applications will be rare and infrequent and will be reserved for special circumstances such as emergency and major infrastructure projects.
The current Permit application and review processes remain unchanged while we are developing the new vehicle access regime. These Permit applications and review processes are governed by the Heavy Vehicle National Law and managed by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).
The current Permit application and review processes remain unchanged while we are developing the new vehicle access regime. These Permit applications and review processes are governed by the Heavy Vehicle National Law and managed by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).
At that time, affected permits will be amended to have an expiry date that corresponds to the implementation of the new regime. Communication material will be provided to explain how to obtain access under the new Class 1 access regime.
Network assurance means certainty provided through information gathering, risk assessment, evaluation and review to ascertain whether safety and legislative obligations are being met, and to ensure that compliance and enforcement activities are achieving these obligations.
As a responsible road manager, like all road mangers, we provide access to our bridges and roads based on our risk appetite formed by information of network usage. When assessing heavy vehicles for bridge access we balance transport productivity and asset consumption. We use different assessment load factors based on assumptions of how the vehicle will travel across the bridge. This includes assumptions that the load is indivisible, assessed vehicle mass will not be exceeded, and if we set a travel condition that requires the vehicle to travel down the centre of the bridge or at a slow speed, it will comply.
Confidence of network use and certainty of vehicle and load mass provides us with assurance that risks are being appropriately managed and supports our risk-based engineering calculations. This allows our risk appetite to adjust and for us to offer granulated access for vehicles under Notice and provide industry with as much productivity as safety possible.
To ensure we are getting the balance between transport productivity and asset consumption right, the new Class 1 access regime will allow us to achieve assurance of network use through a combination of monitoring tools including mandatory vehicle Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA) and Smart On-board Mass management (Smart OBM), administered by Transport Certification Australia (TCA).
TMA and Smart OBM are critical tools for the Department of Transport and Main Roads, industry operators and road managers to provide assurance around heavy vehicle access to the road network and compliance with access conditions. TMA records important vehicle positional and speed information, and Smart OBM monitors the mass of a vehicle's axle groups, which can provide valuable insights into vehicle movements and network usage.
We'll also use existing in-road monitoring tools such as Weigh-in-motion devices and classifiers to monitor the mass of a vehicle's axle groups, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition and CCTV cameras to monitor network usage. Monitoring of compliance with notice and permit bridge conditions such as centreline travel and speed restrictions will be achieved through AMPR, bridge cameras and in-bridge strain gauges at key locations.
A focus on assurance of network usage, and certainty and transparency of mass will also provide a level playing field for all industry operators.
Road use data will be vital in the new access regime, for us to facilitate heavy vehicle access in a way that is both safe and sustainable on our network, whilst balancing the growing demands for Class 1 heavy vehicle movements within the existing constraints of our network and available funding.
We will undertake data and video analytics of the data gathered from monitoring tools. This data, combined with other data sets and engineering risk review, will inform our access and asset management decisions to help us better understand what types of vehicles are moving across our bridges and at what frequency.
This information is important for us to update fatigue modelling of our bridges, and inspection and maintenance frequency. It also enables us to manage our road network to allow sustainable access for all road users. Better visibility and understanding of how our network is used enables us to plan and invest appropriately in the network for all road users.
It was agreed in August 2022, by all State and Commonwealth Infrastructure and Transport Ministers to develop a National Automated Access System for heavy vehicles (NAAS) and reduce permits obtained through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) by 50% within 3 years and by 90% within 5 years. We'll be able to achieve these national requirements for Queensland's heavy vehicle industry through the proposed new vehicle access regime using an online Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS).
In July 2023, all Transport Ministers through the Infrastructure and Transport Senior Officials' Committee (ITSOC) agreed the NAAS for heavy vehicles be based on the Tasmania HVAMS and informed by the current HVAMS version 3.0 implementation projects underway in Tasmania, Queensland and New South Wales. ITSOC directed Austroads as the project manager to oversee the development of the NAAS. We are working closely with Austroads to ensure synergies with the new access regime.
A HVAMS in Queensland aligns with the ITSOC decision and our support for the Austroads project to implement an intelligent, automated system to align with national requirements that integrates into a national automated access system.
Importantly, HVAMS will provide industry operators and road managers in Queensland a pathway to be part of the NAAS.
The first stage of the new access regime will include low loaders and load platforms greater than 59.5 tonnes. We plan to incorporate Defence vehicles and Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicles including mobile cranes thereafter.
Access under the current Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicle Mass Exemption Notice 2023 will remain unchanged.
Access by Period permit and Single Trip permit will be replaced by access via a dynamic Notice in the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) or a Special Access Permit. This is shown in Diagram 1 below.
Current access regime |
---|
Single trip Permit |
Period Permit |
Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicle Mass Exemption Notice (59.5t) |
Revised access regime |
---|
Special access Permit |
HVAMS Notice |
Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicle Mass Exemption Notice (59.5t) |
Most Period Permit vehicles and some of the single trip permit vehicles will move to access through HVAMS.
We have displayed the green HVAMS Notice box in Diagram 1 larger than the Special Access Permit box, as we expect a larger amount of access being provided through HVAMS via Notice than a Special Access Permit.
Yes. Under the new access regime, all Class 1 vehicle access conditions will be displayed in the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) and the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Conditions of Operations Database will be deactivated.
The current entries in the Conditions of Operation Database will be validated, and its contents consumed by HVAMS. When vehicle details are entered into HVAMS, a map will be produced for that individual vehicle to show roads and bridges available for that vehicle along with details of all relevant access conditions required and restrictions.
Conditions will be specific to vehicle configuration inputs such as pilot-escort arrangements, along with other more general conditions such as curfew times and road closures. Before starting a journey, you'll be able to see all routes with any conditions or restrictions and choose the best route available.
Road managers will maintain access conditions of operation within HVAMS as part of the new access regime.
Yes. Under the new access regime, structure and network capacities will determine access levels for specific Class 1 heavy vehicle configurations and loading options.
This is a move away from the prescriptive one-size-fits-all mass and dimension limits we apply in the current access regime and such the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Vehicle Limits Manual will no longer apply and be deactivated.
Access through the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) will be determined on individual structural and network capacity and the load induced by the specific vehicle configuration. This will provide road managers with greater certainty of where Class 1 heavy vehicles can travel on their road network and any conditions. It will also help them in better understanding and managing their networks.
There is no cost for the road manager to access the HVAMS system as part of the new access regime. In cases where the road manager has pre-approvals in place with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), these can be transitioned into HVAMS. There may be costs to generate their road network information so it can be entered into HVAMS if it's not already available from the NHVR Portal or other sources such as the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP).
HVAMS will reduce the need for the road manager to manually approve Permits through the NHVR Portal because we expect in approximately 80% of cases industry operators will not need to apply for access via a Permit. There will be substantial administrative savings and reduction in work loads for the road manager.
With telematics a condition of access, road managers will have access to Class 1 heavy vehicle movement information which is currently not available under the existing vehicle access regime. This will give road managers visibility of these movements across their networks for the first time and provide an opportunity to move from scheduled maintenance to predictive maintenance, and to have the ability to make strategic asset management insights and investment based on known network usage.
Additionally, because the new access regime will include the latest version of the HVAMS, it will provide road managers in Queensland a pathway to be part of the National Automated Access System (NAAS), which is based on the Tasmanian HVAMS and informed by the current HVAMS implementation projects underway in Tasmania, Queensland, and New South Wales.
We are consulting with the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), individual local councils and ports to help us understand how we can accommodate the requirements of other road managers.
We're taking a staged approach to work with road managers to integrate their road data into the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS), focusing on local road networks that have the highest number of Class 1 Oversize Overmass movements first. As part of our approach, we are working through our data requirements for entry into HVAMS and will work with road managers on how they can be part of the new access regime.
Where road managers have existing access pre-approvals in place with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, or data from the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP), we'll work with road managers to transition this information into HVAMS.
If we haven't already consulted with you yet to invite you to be a part of the new access regime and gain access to HVAMS once it is implemented, you can contact us directly by email.
To understand the worth of the new regime, we commissioned an external economist to complete an economic analysis of the proposed new Class 1 heavy vehicle access regime implemented across all state-controlled and local government roads in Queensland.
The analysis considered the financial and economic costs, and the associated benefits of the new regime compared to the Department of Transport and Main Roads existing permit-based framework with engineering assessment enacted to manage risk. Industry costs and benefits were based on information provided by our Industry Working Group members.
The analysis concluded a benefit cost ratio of 8.62 low scenario and 36.78 high scenario over a 20-year period.
By far the greatest benefit to industry is the avoided time delays from not needing a permit to move. This of course flows on to less lost jobs and an even playing field. Access under HVAMS is immediate and saves about $844.8m for a low case scenario or up to $4037.9m for a high case scenario over a 20-year period.
The dynamic notice provides on-demand access and certainty which enables operators to be able to plan vehicle and load combinations, and routes instantly within the system. These efficiencies and operational flexibility provide significant savings in the order of between $126.7m and $504.7m over a 20-year period.
There will be no costs for industry users or road managers to use or access to the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS). Permit administration costs to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NVHR) will remain unchanged. Therefore, the other major industry benefit is in administration savings through the majority of industry operators not needing to apply and pay for permits to move. This is estimated at $33.7m for a low case scenario or up to $49.4m for a high case scenario over a 20-year period.
Road managers also benefit through saving resources not processing permits and by having the ability to make strategic asset management insights and investment based on known network usage.
Many road managers have pre-approvals in place with the NHVR that may be transitioned into HVAMS. Also, road and bridge information is available through assessment of routes and structures using pre-existing data or through assessments made at no cost to councils through programs like the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP). This data may also be transitioned into HVAMS. However, if further information about their road network needs to be collected for inclusion in HVAMS, there may be internal costs to the road manager.
The costs to fit Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA) and Smart On-board Mass management (Smart OBM) will depend on the supplier, the size of industry operators' vehicle fleet and whether telematics is already fitted or not to their Class 1 vehicles. The approximate cost to fit TMA and Smart OBM is estimated to be $6,990 for each prime mover, $4,650 for each dolly and $11,990 for each trailer. It is expected these initial costs and ongoing yearly service costs of TMA and Smart OBM will be offset by improved industry assurance and the estimated reduction in required permits.
The cost benefit analysis found that for most Class 1 operators the upfront cost associated with the proposed regime would be balanced by savings in permits and other costs within the first 12 months.
We have collaborated with Transport Certification Australia (TCA) to embed certified Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA) into the new Class 1 heavy vehicle access regime alongside Smart On-board Mass management (Smart OBM).
The Class 1 heavy vehicles displayed in Table 1 will require telematics as part of the new access regime.
Table 1: Class 1 heavy vehicles that require telematics under the new regime.
Class 1 heavy vehicle | Mandatory telematics required |
---|---|
Load Platform combinations with trailers made up of modules with steerable, load sharing axles, with 5 or more axles | TMA and Smart OBM |
Low Loader combinations with trailers with a loading deck no more than 1m above the ground, with up to 5 axles | TMA and Smart OBM |
Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) starting with mobile cranes | TMA |
Travel on the TMR network under a HVAMS or Permit will be available only for those vehicles fitted with the required TMA and Smart OBM. There will be a transition period for installation.
Agreed telematics data will be supplied to Transport Certification Australia (TCA) and TMR for assurance, asset and access management, and investment purposes. From April 2024, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) will be responsible for all enforcement in Queensland and not TMR.
Under the NHVR's Chain of Responsibility (CoR) industry operators are obligated to provide a safe working environment for everyone involved in the supply chain. Smart OBM can help industry operators meet these obligations by providing an exact measurement of the gross vehicle mass in real-time.
We have collaborated with Transport Certification Australia (TCA) to embed certified Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA) into the new Class 1 heavy vehicle access regime alongside Smart On-board Mass management (Smart OBM). TCA is a national organisation that provides assurance services relating to transport technologies and data to enable improved public purpose outcomes from road transport.
Visit the TCA website for a list of current certified service providers of telematics.
We recognise we'll need to allow sufficient time for industry operators to fit certified telematic equipment and for certified Smart OBM to be available for hydraulic suspension systems. We are continuing consultation with TCA and certified service providers of TMA and Smart OBM and will provide more information in due course.
Visit the TCA website for more information.
Talk to your current service provider and refer them to Transport Certification Australia (TCA) to discuss how they can become a certified service provider. Visit the TCA website for more information.
Class 1 load platforms and low loaders greater than 59.5 tonnes, will be the first vehicle fleet to transition to the new Class 1 access regime. They will require Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA) to be fitted to operate in the new access regime under our mandatory Telematic Policy. We expect this to occur mid to late 2024.
Class 1 load platforms and low loaders greater than 59.5 tonnes, will then be required to have Smart On-board Mass management (Smart OBM), within 12–18 months from the start of our mandatory Telematic Policy. We are yet to determine the commencement date.
Class 1 SPVs, including mobile cranes, currently operate under the TMR mandatory Telematics Policy and the Intelligent Access Program (IAP). When these vehicles are included in the new access regime, they will need to transition from IAP to TMA to operate under our mandatory Telematic Policy. The existing IAP equipment will seamlessly transition to TMA. We expect this to occur shortly after the Class 1 load platforms and low loaders greater than 59.5 tonnes stage is complete.
Class 1 SPVs, including mobile cranes, will not require Smart OBM.
We are committed to working with service and equipment providers as well as transport operators to provide adequate time to implement the required telematics devices.
You can regularly check the Queensland Government's Revised Class 1 Heavy Vehicle Access Regime webpage or subscribe to the TMR Heavy Vehicle E-newsletter. Email us if you have any questions.