Road managers
Accessibility tools
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) have today released a national notice to better support Defence vehicles to get to communities in times of emergency or disaster.
The new Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC) Notice provides “as of right” access to eligible ADF vehicles which removes the need for permits and delivers greater efficiencies.
NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto OAM said the Notice was an important measure as Australia enters its bushfire and cyclone seasons.
“The new Notice will help mobilise Defence vehicles to ensure essential supplies and assistance can reach those in need in a timely fashion, and without the need for a permit,” Mr Petroccitto said.
“The Notice release is at a critical time as we understand the National Emergency Management Agency and the Bureau of Meteorology are predicting a higher risk weather season over the coming months.
“Along with supporting Defence vehicles to access communities, the Notice will remove pressure from road managers when emergency access needs to be enacted.”
The importance of the Notice has been evident in the overwhelmingly positive response by road managers, with close to 100 per cent of applicable road managers providing consent.
The improved access and certainty will be supported by the ability for ADF and road managers to view and map out national access through the dedicated ADF and NHVR Portal.
“For the first time, ADF personnel will be able to select networks for defence vehicles and map out the most efficient access route in the one national NHVR map, which is a huge safety boost,” Mr Petroccitto said.
“I would like to thank participating states and councils across Australia and Defence for working in partnership with the NHVR to assist communities across the country.”
The NHVR encourages all road managers to consider nominating their own networks for this notice, to assist local communities.
To further support the Australian Defence Force, the NHVR is also aiming to publish the Australian Defence Force Class 1 and 3 Heavy Vehicle Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice (which supports routine ADF Movements) by the end of the year.
As part of the new notice, the following vehicle types are approved to access nominated networks, subject to compliance with all relevant conditions specified within the notice and network maps:
- HX77 vehicles with, and without an attached trailer
- 40M vehicles with, and without an attached trailer
- 42M vehicles without an attached trailer
- PMV (Bushmaster) vehicles without an attached trailer.
All National Notices can be viewed on the NHVR website.