South Australia Class 3 Baled Commodity Exemption Notice Operator's Guide

The South Australia Class 3 Baled Commodity Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) provides exemptions to dimension requirements for a Class 3 heavy vehicle that is transporting baled commodities.

Please note: This Notice exempts eligible vehicles from complying with certain dimension requirements when transporting baled commodities.

This instrument does NOT exempt these vehicles from other requirements of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), including mass and other dimension requirements.

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Specifications
Gazette Notices:	C2024G00081
Starts:	10 February 2024
Expires:	9 February 2029
Vehicle types:	Class 3, prime mover and semi-trailer combinations, B-doubles, modular B-triples; Type 1 road trains, Type 2 road trains
Exemptions:	Dimension requirements (height, width)
Law:	HVNL, MDL
Coverage:	SA
To be carried:	No

Overview

The information in this Operator’s Guide is intended to do two things:

Explain how the South Australia Class 3 Baled Commodity Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) operates, to assist in complying with it. It is important to remember this Operator’s Guide is instructional only and it is the Notice that provides the exemption or authorisation. If there is a difference or misunderstanding between the Operator’s Guide and the Notice, the Notice has priority and must be followed. The only exceptions are the requirements or conditions set out in the ‘Network and Mapping’ section explained below.
Provide additional information referred to in the network requirements of the Notice. This includes links to network maps and other information such as vehicle, travel and road conditions. Networks and their conditions published in the Network and Mapping section of this Operator’s Guide are not general advice and must be treated as conditions of the Notice.

Please read the Notice and this Operator’s Guide together. To download or print this guide, use the print or PDF buttons on the top right of this page.

About this Notice

Exempts eligible vehicles from complying with certain dimension requirements when transporting baled commodities.

Exemptions

These exemptions only apply to the extent to which conditions are granted.

Dimension exemptions

An eligible combination operating under this Notice is exempt from the following dimension requirements of Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL):

section 7 - width
section 8 - height.

Note: Other mass limits in the MDL apply.

Definitions

Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this Operator’s Guide have the same meanings as those defined in the HVNL and the Notice.

Term	Definition
A-double	A combination not longer than 36.5m consisting of a prime mover towing two trailers in which: the first semitrailer is connected to the prime mover by a roll coupled connection; and the second trailer is a dog trailer. A-doubles are sometimes called double road trains.
A-triple	A prime mover towing three semitrailers. The second and third semitrailers are each connected by a converter dolly.
AB-triple	A prime mover towing three semitrailers. The second semitrailer is connected by a converter dolly and the third trailer is connected by a fifth wheel located towards the rear of the preceding semitrailer. Can also be described as a semitrailer towing a B-double using a converter dolly. AB-triples are sometimes called AB-doubles.
ABB-Quad	A prime mover towing four semitrailers. The third and fourth semitrailers are connected by a fifth wheel located towards the rear of the preceding semitrailer, and the second semitrailer is connected by a converter dolly. Can also be described as a semitrailer towing a B-triple using a converter dolly/
B-double	A combination consisting of a prime mover towing two semitrailers, with the first semitrailer being attached directly to the prime mover by a fifth wheel coupling and the second semitrailer being mounted on the rear of the first semitrailer by a fifth wheel coupling on the first semitrailer.
B-triple	A combination consisting of a prime mover towing three semitrailers, with— the first semitrailer being attached directly to the prime mover by a fifth wheel coupling; and the second semitrailer being mounted on the rear of the first semitrailer by a fifth wheel coupling on the first semitrailer; and the third semitrailer being mounted on the rear of the second semitrailer by a fifth wheel coupling on the second semitrailer.
B-triple (modular)	A B-triple that is not longer than 35m consisting of a prime mover with a single steer axle and a tandem drive axle, towing three tri-axle group semitrailers connected by fifth wheel couplings, where— the combination can form a compliant B-double if any one semitrailer is removed; and the distance from the king pin of the first trailer to the rear of the combination is not longer than 29.6m; and the prime mover is rated by the manufacturer for a startability of 10 per cent and a gradeability of 12 per cent; and the prime mover is capable of maintaining a minimum speed of 70km/h on a one per cent grade at a Gross Combination Mass (GCM) rating of 84.5t; and the prime mover must have an engine with a maximum power output of not less than 370 kW (500 horsepower).
BA-triple	BA-triple means a heavy vehicle combination consisting of a prime mover towing three trailers in which; the first semitrailer is connected to the prime mover by a roll coupled connection; and the second trailer is a semitrailer that is connected to the first trailer by the roll coupled connection on the second; and the third trailer is a dog trailer.
BAB-Quad	A prime mover towing four semitrailers. The second and fourth semitrailers are connected by a fifth wheel located towards the rear of the preceding semitrailer, and the third semitrailer is connected by a converter dolly. Can also be described as a B-double towing a B-double using a converter dolly.
General access	Means access to all roads in South Australia except as restricted by the specified road manager network requirements in the Operator's Guide.
Ground contact width (GCW)	The distance between the outermost points of ground contact of the outside tyres on each end of an axle.
Low visibility	When circumstances such as fog, heavy rain, smoke, dust, or insect plague cause— visibility to be less than 250m in the daytime; or the headlights of a vehicle approaching within 250m to not be seen at night.
Night travel	Between the hours of sunset and sunrise.
Rigid truck combination	A rigid truck towing two dog trailers.
Round bale	A hay bale, rolled by machine, that forms a cylindrical shape.
Specified baled commodity	Baled hay or baled wool.
Type-1 road train	One of the following combinations as defined under the Heavy Vehicle National Law - National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice: A-double; or AB-triple up to 36.5m in length; or B-triple; or B-triple (modular); or BA-Triple Up to 36.5m
Type-2 road train	One of the following combinations as defined under the Heavy Vehicle National Law - National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice: A-triple; or AB-triple up to 44m in length; or ABB-quad; or BAB-quad; or BA-Triple (over 36.5m); or rigid truck combination up to 47.5m in length.

Eligible vehicles

To be eligible to operate under the notice, eligible vehicles must comply with all requirements of the MDL.

The Notice applies to a Class 3 heavy vehicle operating in South Australia that is:

a rigid truck fitted with a dual-drive tandem axle group and operated without a trailer; or
a prime mover and a semitrailer on which the prime mover is fitted with a dual-drive tandem axle group and the semi-trailer is fitted with either a tandem or tri-axle group; or
a B-double; or
a modular B-triple; or
a Type 1 or Type 2 road train

An eligible prime mover operating under this Notice must be either fitted with a single steer and tandem drive axle group, or a twin steer and tandem drive axle group.

Table 1: Length limits for rigid trucks, prime mover and semitrailer combinations, and B-doubles
Combination	Length limits (m)
Rigid truck	12.5
Prime mover and semitrailer	19.0
B-double	26.0

Table 2: Type 1 road trains (up to 36.5m in length)
Type 1 road train combination	Length limits (m)
A-double	36.5
B-triple (modular)	35.0
B-triple	36.5
AB-triple	36.5
BA-triple	36.5

Table 3: Type 2 road trains (up to 53.5m in length)
Type 2 road train combination	Length limits (m)
A-triple	53.5
AB-triple	44.0
BA-triple	44.0
BAB-quad	53.5
ABB-quad	53.5
Rigid truck towing two trailers	47.5

Conditions

Notices are subject to various conditions to ensure public safety, protect assets and prevent adverse impacts on the community, such as noise, emissions and traffic congestion. See the sections below for specific conditions related to this Notice.

Dimension conditions - Click to expand

Table 4: Height conditions
Eligible vehicle	Height
A rigid truck fitted with a dual-drive tandem axle group and operated without a trailer; or	4.3m
Prime mover and semi-trailer combinations B-doubles Modular B-triples Type 1 and Type 2 road trains	4.6m

Table 5: Width conditions
Eligible vehicle	Width
Eligible Vehicle not exceeding 19m in length and transporting round bales	3.5m
Any other Eligible Vehicle	2.75m

Ground contact width (GCW)

If an eligible vehicle is more than 4.3m high, then the ground contact width must be greater than 2.1m.

Other conditions and additional information

Third party approvals

Gazette notices, permits and some jurisdictional laws may require third parties and other entities to provide permission for a vehicle to travel if it exceeds certain mass or dimension limits.

Operators must secure all approvals from third parties such as electricity/utility companies, rail authorities and other third parties as part of their heavy vehicle operations.

For more information, visit the Third party approvals page.

Complying with the HVNL

Unless otherwise exempted by the Notice or this Operator's Guide, operators must ensure their vehicle or combination complies with ADRs, HVNL, MDL and VS Regulation.

Using or permitting another person to use a defective heavy vehicle or a heavy vehicle with unapproved modifications on a road may be an offence.

Failure to comply may result in the driver and/or operator being liable for an offence. Penalties can include infringement notices or prosecution.

Chain of Responsibility (CoR)

Under the HVNL, every party in the Chain of Responsibility (CoR) has a positive duty to ensure the safety of their activities in relation to a heavy vehicle. This duty, known as the “primary duty”, applies to the scheduling, loading and consigning of a vehicle, as well as to its operation on a road.

Safety is broader than the safety of drivers and other road users. It also includes protection of road infrastructure, preventing damage to other vehicles or property, and minimising environmental harm. Substantial penalties may be imposed upon parties who breach this obligation and upon their executives.

For more information on your CoR obligations visit Chain of Responsibility on the NHVR website.

Our Regulatory Advice offers guidance, tips and tools for managing a range of heavy vehicle safety risks.

Loading requirements

A load on a heavy vehicle must:

not be placed in a way that makes the vehicle unstable or unsafe
be secured so it is unlikely to fall or be dislodged
be restrained using an appropriate restraint method be placed, secured or restrained in a way that meets the loading performance standards listed in Schedule 7 of the MDL.

Visit the NHVR loading page for more information on load requirements.

The requirement to carry the Notice

Drivers do not need to carry a copy of the Notice.

Network and mapping

For the purposes of s121 of the HVNL, an area or route specified in the 'Network & Mapping' section of this Operator's Guide is a stated area or route to which this Notice applies. In addition to complying with the conditions stated in this Operator's Guide, operators must ensure compliance with the specific road manager access requirements set out below or in network maps.

In this tab, you will find the approved routes authorised under the Notice. There may also be network conditions pursuant to the stated areas and routes under the Notice. Network conditions relate to road and travel conditions that are not contained within the Notice.

National Network Map

This Notice may refer to state or territory government websites for the publication of networks. From 20 December 2023, certain authorised heavy vehicle road network maps for the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria are published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, through the NHVR National Network Map. Additional information and guidance can be found on the National Network Map webpage.

Approved routes covered by the Notice

Table 6: Available networks
Eligible vehicle	Network
Any vehicle up to 19m in length that is not a truck and trailer combination, a B-double or a road train	General access
B-doubles up to 23m in length	23m B-double (GML)
B-doubles up to 26m in length	26m B-double (GML)
35.0m B-triple (modular)	36.5m Road Train (GML) Commodity Routes – Road Train (GML)
36.5m A-double (Type 1 road train) 35.0m B-triple (Modular) (Type 1 road train) 36.5m B-triple (Type 1 road train) Eligible rigid truck combination (Type 1 road train)	36.5m Road Train (GML) Commodity Routes – Road Train (GML)
36.5m AB-triple (Type 1 road train) 36.5m BA-triple	PBS routes Level 3A
42m AB-triple (Type 2 road train) 42m BA-triple	PBS routes Level 3B
Other eligible type 2 road trains BA-triple up to 44.0m long	53.5m road train (GML)

Commodity freight networks – Council-wide road, vehicle and travel conditions

Dedicated road networks for eligible vehicles carrying certain commodities are available in South Australia.

Commodity freight refers to specified bulk primary products that are transported on a seasonal or low frequency basis, generally from the place of production to the place of processing.

Specific conditions may be applied to eligible vehicles travelling on commodity routes, including:

travel limited to seasonal operation only, for example, to align with harvest season
time restrictions to minimise environmental and amenity impacts
speed restrictions to prevent infrastructure damage and maintain vehicle stability and safety on rough or unsealed roads.

These networks provide additional access, beyond that for the same combinations carrying goods other than the specified commodities.

Detailed information on local conditions for commodity-carrying eligible vehicles in South Australia is available in the below table.

Table 7: Restrictions
Local Government Authority (LGA)	Restriction information
The District Council of Franklin Harbour	Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 80kph on sealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 70kph on unsealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 40kph on all council-maintained roads within town limits. An eligible vehicle must not operate on unsealed roads for routes in an area that has received greater than 15mm of rain in the preceding 24 hours of the rain event.
The District Council of Kimba	Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 80kph on sealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 70kph on unsealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 40kph on council roads within town limits. Council has the right to close any district roads if they are deemed to be unsafe or incurring unreasonable damage.
The District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula	Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 80kph on sealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 70kph on unsealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 40kph on all council-maintained roads within town limits. No access to unsealed routes which have received greater than 15mm of rain in the preceding 24 hours.
The District Council of Mount Remarkable	Maximum permitted speed of 60km/hr on all unsealed council roads. Maximum permitted speed of 25km/hr if the unsealed road is signposted for floodways or narrowing. On unsealed roads, travel is suspended during periods of prolonged rain and up to 1 day for every 5mm of rain within the 24 hours period after the rainfall event. Access maybe further restricted or deferred in the event of a significant rainfall event. Contact must be made with the relevant traffic management information sources on such an occasion.
Northern Areas Council	All council maintained commodity routes have a 60kph speed restriction.
District Council of Ceduna	Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 80kph on sealed council maintained roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 70kph on unsealed council maintained roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 40kph on all council maintained roads within town limits. An eligible vehicle must not operate on unsealed roads for routes in an area that has received greater than 15mm of rain in the preceding 24 hours of the rain event.
The District Council of Cleve	All council gazetted roads have a 70 kph speed restriction.
The District Council of Elliston	Speed limits to be a maximum of 60kph on all commodity routes. Hauling vehicles to be fitted with yellow revolving flashing lights that can be seen through 360 degrees by oncoming or approaching traffic. Driver to stop and give way to other road users where they would normally have priority to allow the other vehicle to clear the intersection prior to the restricted access vehicle undertaking a turning manoeuvre. No access to commodity routes where there has been greater than 30mm of rain in any 24 hour period.
Southern Mallee District Council	All unsealed council maintained commodity routes have a 80kph speed restriction.
The District Council of Streaky Bay	Restricted speed to 80kph on sealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 70kph on unsealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 40kph on all council-maintained roads within town limits. No access to unsealed routes which have received greater than 15mm of rain in the preceding 24 hours.
The District Council of Tumby Bay	Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 80kph on all sealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 70kph on all unsealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 40kph on all council-maintained roads within town limits. An eligible vehicle must not operate on unsealed roads for routes in an area that has received greater than 15mm of rain in the preceding 24 hours of the rain event.
Wudinna District Council	Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 70kph on all unsealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 80kph on all sealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 40kph on all Council-maintained roads within town limits. An eligible vehicle must not operate on unsealed roads for routes in an area that has received greater than 15mm of rain in the preceding 24 hours of the rain event. Operators may be liable for the cost of pavement repairs.
Port Pirie Regional Council	Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 80kph on sealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 60kph on unsealed council roads outside town limits. Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 40kph on all Council-maintained roads within town limits.
The Rural City Of Murray Bridge	Restricted speed loaded or unloaded to 60kph on council roads.
Wakefield Regional Council	All unsealed council maintained commodity routes have a 70kph speed restriction.
LGA restriction information out of districts - Far West Coast	Speed limits to be a maximum of 60kph on all commodity routes. No access to commodity routes where there has been greater than 10mm of rain in any 24hr period.

Road manager network requirements

The following section outlines specific road manager route requirements under the Notice, including route conditions and restrictions.

Road manager route requirements in this section may change from time to time and should be reviewed regularly to ensure compliance.

For further information on how to comply with a requirement, please contact the relevant road manager.

Road managers may publish specific route conditions and restrictions on the approved network map. These must be complied with in addition to any route requirements outlined in this Operator's Guide. If a condition listed in any section of this Operator's Guide conflicts with a route condition or restriction published on an approved network map, the more restrictive requirement applies.

Traffic advisory services - Click to expand

Prior to commencing any journey, operators should review traffic alerts, road closures, travel delays, and other traffic advisory information for participating jurisdictions.

Table 8 provides details and links to official traffic advisory services for each participating jurisdiction. For more information about a particular service, contact the relevant jurisdiction or department via the contact details listed on the service webpage.

Table 8: Traffic advisory services
Jurisdiction	Website	Purpose
South Australia	Outback Road Warnings	Access the latest information about temporary closures, restrictions, and warnings for outback roads north and west of Port Augusta.
South Australia	Traffic SA	View live information about incidents and changes in South Australia traffic conditions. Traffic SA is available as a mobile app. See Addinsight download details on the Traffic SA website.

Applying for a permit - Click to expand

Access permit applications are required for heavy vehicles that don’t comply with the conditions set out in a notice and when accessing routes that aren’t covered on an approved network.

The following pages provide useful information and resources for submitting access permit applications:

Do I need a permit?: Information and resources for determining whether a road access permit, or a Notice is required to operate on Australian roads.
Access permit application process: Information, resources, and instructions for submitting a valid access permit application.

Related notices

In this tab, you will find a list of state and territory notices related to the South Australia Class 3 Baled Commodity Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1).

A related notice may be comparable with this Notice or provide alternatives for operators to find the appropriate notice under which to operate.

Related national notices

Jurisdiction	Notice
National	National Class 2 B-double Authorisation Notice 2024 (No.1) Authorises access for Class 2 heavy vehicles that are B-doubles. National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice 2022 (No.3) Provides complying road trains access in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. The national notice introduces simplified and more nationally consistent conditions for road trains, supporting more seamless cross-border access. National Class 3 Drought Assistance Dimension Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1) Exempts eligible vehicles from complying with certain dimension requirements when transporting specified commodities for consumption by livestock in declared drought affected areas.

Jurisdiction

Notice

National

National Class 2 B-double Authorisation Notice 2024 (No.1)

Authorises access for Class 2 heavy vehicles that are B-doubles.

National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice 2022 (No.3)

Provides complying road trains access in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. The national notice introduces simplified and more nationally consistent conditions for road trains, supporting more seamless cross-border access.

National Class 3 Drought Assistance Dimension Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1)

Exempts eligible vehicles from complying with certain dimension requirements when transporting specified commodities for consumption by livestock in declared drought affected areas.

Resources

Operators are reminded of ongoing maintenance and other road infrastructure works across South Australia, and advised to refer to the South Australia Government’s Addinsight app and the TrafficSA website to ensure their route is not impacted by works.

Note: This information is intended to provide general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. We encourage you to obtain independent advice about your legal obligations. If you have any feedback on the information provided please contact us at info@nhvr.gov.au

Road train MDL dimension and axle spacing check sheet

Road Train MDL Dimension and Axle Spacing Check Sheet (XLSX, 60KB)

Considerations

All of the distances are in metres (m), for example, 1.2m and not 1200mm or 120cm
All masses are in tonnes (t) and General Mass Limits (GML), even if requesting Higher Mass Limits (HML)
- Steer: 6t
- Tandem: 16.5t
- Tri: 20.0t
Distances for axle group length and spacing between axle groups are measured between the axle centres of the extreme axles of each group

Check sheet instructions

If required, open the 'Vehicle Dimensions' tab and enter vehicle length, height and width; This will show compliance with Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL) dimensions.
Count the number of axle groups (Note: a single axle is one group) and select tab for that number of axle groups
Enter the number of axles for each axle group in light grey boxes
Enter MDL GML axle/axle group mass (tonnes) for each axle/axle group in white boxes. (Note: steer axle mass is recorded as 6t)
In blue boxes, alternately record axle group length (metres) for each axle group (Note: 0 for a single axle) and distance between separate groups
Scroll across to right and compliance with MDL Schedule 1 tables is indicated as PASS or FAIL

Note: If the result is a FAIL, reducing masses at step 4 or increasing distances in step 5 could provide a PASS result. A PASS result means the given information complies with Road train axle spacing mass limits.

Example: 11 axle A-double (single steer, tandem drive prime mover, triaxle semi, tandem dolly, triaxle trailer) 5 axle groups and 4 spacings between groups. Distances for axle group length and spacing between axle groups are measured between the axle centres of the extreme axles of each group.

Image is of an 11 axle A-double with axle spacing markings below the axle groups to show the spacing between axle groups.

Changes and updates

Date	Summary	Links to resources and communications
10 Feb 2024	South Australia Class 3 Baled Commodity Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) commenced.	C2024G00081