Queensland Sugar Mill Mass Management Scheme
The Queensland Government introduced the Queensland Sugar Mass Management Scheme (SMMS) to address the difficulty of accurately assessing the mass of bulk sugar cane loaded on-farm before transportation to a sugar mill.
The SMMS is designed to protect the road infrastructure network and promote road safety through administrative procedures and compliance activities.
The SMMS provides participants with an in-field loading tolerance above regulation mass limits to allow for varying moisture content and densities.
The SMMS operates under the Queensland Class 3 Heavy Vehicle Sugar Mill Mass Management Scheme Exemption Notice (the Notice) which is authorised under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland).
The SMMS operating year is from 1 July to 30 June. However, the transportation of sugarcane predominantly occurs from June to December each year.
On this page:
SMMS administration
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is responsible for the development of the framework for the SMMS operation, including the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with each sugar mill, the Participation Guide and annual auditing of registered sugar mills.
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) will provide compliance and enforcement activities, conduct roadside intercepts, and investigate possible breaches in legislation.
SMMS participants
- TMR
- NHVR
- Registered sugar mills
- Harvester contractors
- Transport operators
Participant responsibilities
TMR
- Manage the MoU with the registered sugar mills.
- Maintain and review the Participation Guide.
- Conduct performance monitoring and review of the SMMS.
- Conduct audits and discuss any issues associated with the SMMS.
NHVR
- Provide compliance and enforcement activities.
- Conduct roadside intercepts and investigations into possible breaches of legislation.
Registered sugar mills
Registered sugar mills agree to participate in the SMMS via a signed MoU with TMR. The registered sugar mill must comply with the MoU, Participation Guide and the Notice.
The registered sugar mill must have appropriate systems and procedures to manage the daily operation of the SMMS, including collection and reporting of mass data.
The registered sugar mill administers and coordinates of the following:
- Provide training to staff and comply with this Guide, the Notice and all other heavy vehicle transport laws.
- Enrol and record eligible vehicles.
- Enrol and record harvester contractors.
- Issue an annual Certificate of Participation.
- Take the necessary action to control and correct non-compliant vehicles.
- Remove eligible vehicles not complying with SMMS conditions.
- Record and report as listed in the Participation Guide (Part 4 Reporting Conditions).
- Weighbridges must have a current weighbridge calibration certificate. SMMS loading tolerances cannot be applied unless the registered receiver is operating a calibrated and certified weighbridge.
- Registered sugar mills must accurately record the mass of the vehicle or combination from the weighbridge.
- Administrative duties associated with the above tasks.
Harvester contractors and transport operators
Harvester, loaders and vehicle drivers/operators are responsible for even distribution of loads over their vehicle combination and axles or axle groups.
Transport operators must:
- Provide training to drivers and comply with this Guide, the Notice, and the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) including fatigue management, mechanical safety, road access, registration, licensing, load restraint and Chain of Responsibility.
- Be registered with a registered sugar mill.
- Carry in the eligible vehicle a current Certificate of Participation.
- Only deliver to a registered sugar mill with a certified weighbridge.
- Operate on the approved state-controlled routes.
- Operate under a NHVR access permit for access to local government or private roads.
- Comply with temporary road restrictions and closures.
Operating conditions
Eligible vehicles
An eligible vehicle must be registered with a registered sugar mill and is one of the following combinations:
a) A prime mover towing a semi-trailer, or
b) A B-double.
An eligible vehicle must be:
a) Fitted with four tyres per axle (except for steer axle), and
b) Fitted with conforming axle/axle groups, and
c) Prime movers must have single steer and tandem drive axle groups, and
d) Trailers must have a tandem axle group or a tri-axle group.
Eligible vehicles transporting sugarcane for a participating sugar mill must comply with the conditions listed in the Queensland Class 3 Heavy Vehicle Sugar Mill Mass Management Scheme Exemption Notice and the Queensland Sugar Mass Management Scheme Participation Guide to be eligible for the loading tolerance.
Mass limits
The SMMS provides an in-field loading tolerance, to allow for varying moisture content and densities. It is not a mass productivity concession.
When loading bulk sugar cane an operator is to load the eligible vehicle to general mass limits for the combination.
The in-field loading tolerance of 7.5% over GCM mass limits and 10% over regulation axle mass limits provided in the Notice is calculated on a 6-tonne steer axle mass limit.
In-field loading tolerance:
a) An increase of a maximum of:
I. 7.5% on total mass limits as show on Table 1, or
II. 10% on the
general axle mass limits as shown in Table 2 and
III. The lesser mass limit of I. or II. applies.
b) A maximum steer axle mass of:
I. 6.6 tonne
Note: Vehicles manufactured with a complying steer axle are entitled to 6.5 tonnes on the steer axle, however the 10% loading tolerance is calculated on a 6-tonne steer axle mass limit, a maximum steer axle mass of 6.6 tonnes is permitted.
Note: The SMMS does not provide authorisation to exceed manufacturer's ratings and axle mass limits.
Table 1: General and SMMS mass limits
| Eligible combination | Image | Eligible combination with a 6-tonne steer axle mass limit | Eligible combination, SMMS mass limit |
| 5 axle-semitrailer |
|
39.00t | 41.90t |
| Common 6-axle semitrailer |
|
42.50t | 45.70t |
| 8-axle B-double |
|
59.00t | 63.40t |
| 9-axle B-double |
|
62.50t | 67.20t |
Table 2: Axle mass limits
| Axle description | General axle mass limits | 10% maximum axle loading tolerance |
| Steer axle | 6.0t | 6.6t |
| Tandem axle | 16.5t | 18.15t |
| Tri-axle | 20.0t | 22.0t |
Compliance obligations
Loss of sugarcane poses a safety risk on the road network. Actively referring to the National Transport Commission's Load Restraint Guide 2018 ensures the appropriate load restraint is applied that prevents incidence of sugarcane spillage while in transit.
The sugar mill must take the necessary action to control and correct non-compliance incidents and operate within the Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland) including Chain of Responsibility (CoR) requirements.
The CoR ensures everyone who works with heavy vehicles, from the business that employs a driver to the place where goods are delivered, is accountable for safety. To learn more about your CoR obligations refer to the NHVR Chain of Responsibility webpage.
Managing overloaded vehicles
Deliveries that exceed the mass limits will need to be managed by the registered sugar mill in accordance with Safety Duties and Chain of Responsibility (CoR).
Vehicles recorded as being overloaded at the registered sugar mill need to be safely unloaded after the weight is recorded. The registered sugar mill must implement appropriate control measures to manage overloaded vehicles, have effective Safety Management Systems (SMS) in place to comply with safety duty obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law and ensure the overloading does not continue.
The registered sugar mill should not provide any incentive, financial or otherwise, for trucks to arrive overloaded to their facilities.
During a roadside inspection, a vehicle or combination that is severely overloaded will be issued a Prohibition Notice and grounded until the load on the heavy vehicle or combination is adjusted to comply with GML or SMMS mass limits (eligible vehicle).
Participate in the SMMS
For more information about how to participate in the SMMS email us at hv.policy@tmr.qld.gov.au.
- Last updated 22 April 2024