South Australia Class 3 Road Train (North of Port Augusta) Dimension Exemption Notice Operator’s Guide

The South Australia Class 3 Road Train (North of Port Augusta) Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) exempts Class 3 road train combinations from certain dimension requirements of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL).

Note: The Notice provides an exemption from certain heavy vehicle width and height limits outlined in the MDL for Class 3 vehicles operating in South Australia.

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

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Specifications
Gazette Notice:	C2024G00107
Starts:	10 February 2024
Expires:	9 February 2029
Vehicle types:	Class 3, Type 1 road train, Type 2 road train
Exemptions:	Dimension requirements (width, height by load)
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 Road Train (North of Port Augusta) Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) (the Notice) 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

This Notice provides access for eligible vehicles that exceed regulatory dimensions and that are travelling on limited routes in South Australia.

Exemptions

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

Dimension exemptions

An eligible vehicle operating under this Notice is exempt from the following dimension requirements of Schedule 6 of the MDL:

section 7 – Width.
section 8 – Height.

Note: Other mass and dimension 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-double means a heavy 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.
ADR	Australian Design Rules.
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-triple	B-triple means 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 (hp)).
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 couples connection; and the second trailer is a semitrailer that is connected to the second 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.
Converter dolly	Means a converter dolly with a roll coupled connection to the vehicle it is towing.
Class 3	A heavy is a Class 3 heavy vehicle if: it, together with its load, does not comply with a prescribed mass requirement or prescribed dimension requirement applying to it; and it is not a Class 1 Heavy vehicle.
Dog trailer	Means a trailer (including a trailer consisting of a semitrailer and converter dolly) that has— one tandem axle group or a single axle at the front that is being steered by connection to a towing vehicle by a drawbar; and one tandem axle group at the rear.
MDL	Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation.
Prime mover	A prime mover that: has a tandem drive axle; and has a roll coupled connection to the vehicle it is towing; and is not a truck.
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; or B-triple; or B-triple (modular).
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; or ABB-quad; or BAB-quad; or rigid truck towing two dog trailer.
VS Regulation	Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation.

Eligible vehicles

To be eligible to operate under the Notice, road trains must comply with all requirements of the MDL.

Combinations eligible to operate under the Notice are Type 1 and Type 2 road train combinations and a prime mover and semitrailer towing a converter dolly as shown in Tables 1 and 2.

**Table 1:** Eligible vehicle combination - Type 1 road trains
Type 1 road train combination	Length limits (m)
Type 1 road train combination	Length limits (m)
	26.0
A-double	36.5
B-triple- (modular)	35.0
B-triple	36.5
AB-triple	36.5
BA-triple	36.5

**Table 2:** Eligible vehicle combination - Type 2 road trains
Type 2 road train combination	Length limits (m)
Type 2 road train combination	Length limits (m)
A-triple	53.5
AB-triple	44.0
BA-triple	44.0
Rigid truck towing two trailers	47.5
BAB-quad	53.5
ABB-quad	53.5

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.

Application of the Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice 2022 (No.3)

As well as complying with the requirements of the Notice, an eligible vehicle must comply with all of the conditions of the National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice 2022 (No.3), except for height and width:

eligible vehicles may use the conditional height and width limits specified below in Tables 3 and 4 under 'Dimension conditions'.

Dimension conditions - Click to expand

Height

**Table 3:** Eligible vehicle height limits
Combination	Height (m)
An eligible vehicle with a load that is not a transportable building	4.6
An eligible vehicle with a load that is a transportable building	4.85

Width

**Table 4:** Eligible vehicle width limits
Combination	Width (m)
Type 1 road train including a prime mover and semitrailer towing a converter dolly	3.5
Type 2 road train	3.1

General conditions - Click to expand

Daytime travel

Travel is restricted to daytime hours only (the period of a day between sunrise and sunset).

Other conditions and additional information

Assessing routes before travel

Before driving on a public road, the driver or operator of an eligible vehicle or combination must be satisfied that the route has been assessed and that the vehicle can be driven without:

disrupting telecommunication, electricity, rail, gas, water or sewage services; and
damaging roads, structures, rail crossings or trees.

Part of this process is assessing the route and reading this Guide before travel to identify any restrictions or conditions that may affect travel. In some cases, approval is required from third parties or entities when a vehicle exceeds certain mass or dimension limits.

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.

Warning signs

Eligible combinations longer than 22m but not longer than 30m must display a long vehicle warning sign at the vehicle's rear (as shown in Figure 1).

Eligible combinations longer than 30m must display a road train warning sign at the front and rear of the combination (as shown in Figure 2).

Warning sign requirements are described in the NHVR's Vehicle Standards Guide (VSG-19).

Road Train Notice: Example of a long vehicle sign — Figure 1: Example of a long vehicle sign

Road Train Notice - Example of a Road Train Sign — Figure 2: Example of a road train sign

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

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

The following routes are approved for travel for vehicles eligible under this Notice.

Approved routes covered by the Notice - Click to expand

Table 5 outlines routes approved for travel under the Notice.

**Table 5:** Approved routes
Eligible vehicle	Approved route/network
Any eligible vehicle	Travel by eligible vehicles under the Notice is limited to the following routes: between Port Augusta West and the South Australia/Northern Territory border via Old Tarcoola Road and Stuart Highway; and Olympic Dam Highway, from the intersection of the Stuart Highway at Pimba to Olympic Dam.

Specified 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.

South Australia network conditions - Click to expand

Dimension Restrictions map

The Dimension Restrictions map has been developed to assist in journey and route planning and should be used alongside the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s Route Planner and TrafficSA prior to commencing any journey in South Australia.

The map includes the following information:

points, roads, and zones where there are dimension limitations (height, width and length)
major railways and level crossings
pilot and marshalling locations in South Australia
network access notes.

For further information about the map please visit the Dimension Restrictions map webpage.

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 6 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 6:** 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 National and State notices related to the South Australia Class 3 Road Train (North of Port Augusta) Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1).

A related notice may coincide with the featured notice or provide alternatives for operators to find the appropriate notice to operate.

Related national notices

Jurisdiction	Notice
National	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 Mechanical Tarping and Safety Harness Systems Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) Exempts a stated category of Class 3 heavy vehicles from the width limit in section 7(1) of Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation. National Class 3 Road Train Prime Mover Dimension and Mass Exemption Notice 2022 (No.1) Provides length exemption to eligible combinations under the Notice. It also provides flexibility for operators of road train prime movers to continue their travel when decoupling from a road train combination and to access networks when not operating as a road train.

Jurisdiction

Notice

National

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 Mechanical Tarping and Safety Harness Systems Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1)

Exempts a stated category of Class 3 heavy vehicles from the width limit in section 7(1) of Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation.

National Class 3 Road Train Prime Mover Dimension and Mass Exemption Notice 2022 (No.1)

Provides length exemption to eligible combinations under the Notice. It also provides flexibility for operators of road train prime movers to continue their travel when decoupling from a road train combination and to access networks when not operating as a road train.

Related state and territory notices

Jurisdiction	Notice
Queensland	Queensland Class 3 B-Double and Road Train (Carriage of Indivisible Items) Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) Enables eligible B-doubles and road trains to transport large indivisible items in Queensland without the need for a permit, subject to meeting the Notice conditions.

Jurisdiction

Notice

Queensland

Queensland Class 3 B-Double and Road Train (Carriage of Indivisible Items) Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1)

Enables eligible B-doubles and road trains to transport large indivisible items in Queensland without the need for a permit, subject to meeting the Notice conditions.

Resources

Tools and calculators

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.

Participating jurisdiction heavy vehicle resources

For more information about operating a heavy vehicle in participating jurisdictions, refer to the following sites:

South Australia: Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) - Heavy vehicles

Changes and updates

Date	Summary	Links to resources and communications
10 February 2024	South Australia Class 3 Road Train (North of Port Augusta) Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) commenced.	C2024G00107
10 February 2024	South Australia Class 3 Road Train (North of Port Augusta) Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1) commenced.	C2019G00136