Heavy vehicle operator information

National notices and permit-based schemes

All national notices and permit-based schemes are implemented by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. The following are specific for Queensland.

Excess mass or dimension permits

Access permits are issued by the NHVR and applications are lodged by the NHVR Portal.

Livestock loading in Queensland

Multi-combination permits

A permit can provide access for multi-combination livestock vehicles to:

• transport livestock to the Roma Saleyards and the meatworks facilities in Rockhampton
• help move drought affected livestock or fodder — access to certain roads within Darling Downs and the South West District is allowed under this permit.

Applications for a multi-combination permit are processed by the NHVR via the NHVR Portal.

Livestock Loading

The Queensland Class 3 Livestock Loading Exemption Notice (the Notice) and Livestock Loading Operators Guide provides increased mass limits for eligible vehicles transporting livestock.

The Notice provides efficient transportation of livestock throughout Queensland by providing an increase to mass limits and measures to improve the safety for both the vehicle and livestock, reducing the incidence of vehicle rollovers.

Load Restraint Guide

The load restraint guide provides transport drivers, operators, and other participants in the transport chain of responsibility with basic safety principles which should be followed for the safe carriage of loads on road vehicles.

Loading heavy vehicles safely is vital to preventing injury to people and damage to property. A copy of the Load restraint Guide can be downloaded from NHVR Loading page.

Safe Movement Guideline – Conditionally registering a vehicle in Queensland

Conditional registration is for non-standard vehicles that do not comply with the standard regulations for registration and have a genuine need for limited access to the road network.

Queensland access condition guide

The Queensland access condition guide is to be read in conjunction with the following National Heavy Vehicle Regulator Notices:

• Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Dimension Exemption Notice.
• Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice.
• National Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicle (up to 40t total mass) Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice.
• Queensland Class 1 Special Purpose Combination Mass Dimension Exemption Notice.
• Queensland Class 3 B-Double and Road Train (Carriage of Large Indivisible Items) Dimension Exemption Notice.
• Queensland Class 3 Truck and Dog Trailer (exceeding 19m up to 31.5m in length) Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice.

Pilot and escort operations in Queensland

Pilot and escort vehicle drivers accompanying vehicles/combinations over 3.5m wide and over 25m in length should ensure they have ready access to the Safe Movement Guideline - Pilot and Escort Operations in Queensland.

The number of pilot and escort vehicle drivers required for a particular load, area or type of road is listed in the Queensland access condition guide.

The excess mass and dimensions page provides more detailed information, including the Conditions of Operations Database for excess mass and dimension vehicles.

Grain harvest management scheme

The Queensland Government introduced the Grain Harvest Management Scheme (GHMS) to address the difficulty of accurately assessing the mass of bulk grains, oil seeds, pulses, and bulk fresh cut silage (not bailed) loaded on-farm before transportation to an approved GHMS receiver.

The GHMS is designed to protect the road infrastructure network and promote road safety through administrative procedures and compliance activities.

The GHMS provides participants with an in-field loading tolerance above regulation mass limits to allow for varying moisture content and densities.

The scheme is administered jointly by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and AgForce.

• AgForce coordinate the heavy vehicle approvals, stickers, and report to TMR.
• TMR approve the Grain Harvest Management Scheme receivers and monitor the scheme for compliance.
• The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator is responsible for heavy vehicle on road compliance and enforcement.

The GHMS operates under the Queensland Class 3 Heavy Vehicle (Grain Harvest Management Scheme) Mass Exemption Notice which is authorised under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

Controlled access buses (overall length not exceeding 14.5m)

• Controlled access bus Schedule A Part 1-Local Government Routes other than Brisbane City Council (PDF, 391 KB)
• Controlled access bus Schedule A Part 2-Brisbane City Council Routes (PDF, 367 KB)
• Controlled access bus Schedule B-State Controlled Roads not suitable for Controlled Access Buses (PDF, 211 KB)