Commonwealth Consolidated Regulations Commonwealth Consolidated Regulations(1) In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears:
"administering authority" means the Department, or a State or Territory body responsible for vehicle registration or for the conditions on which vehicles use roads in a State or Territory.
"Administrator" means the Administrator of Vehicle Standards within the meaning of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 .
air suspension system , for an axle group of a motor vehicle, means a suspension system in which:
(a) vertical movement between each axle in the axle group and the body of the vehicle is controlled by variations in the pressure of air in an air spring; and
(b) the proportion of the vehicle's mass that is borne by each air spring remains substantially constant despite variations in the pressure of the air in the air spring.
"articulated vehicle" means a vehicle (other than a B-double) that consists of a combination of a prime mover and a semi-trailer.
"Australian Standard" means a standard approved for publication on behalf of the Council of the Standards Association of Australia, being the association of that name incorporated by Royal Charter.
"axle group" means a single steer axle, a single axle, a single axle group, a tandem axle group, a twin-steer axle group, a triaxle group, a quad axle group or a close coupled axle group.
"British Standard" means a standard issued by the British Standards Institution established under Royal Charter.
close coupled axle group means a group of:
(a) 2 axles whose centres are not more than 1 metre apart; or
(b) 3 axles whose centres are not more than 2 metres apart; or
(c) 4 or more axles whose centres are not more than 3.2 metres apart.
"concessional mass limit" means the axle load limit for a concessional mass limit vehicle worked out in accordance with regulation 12BA and mentioned in column 4 of Schedule 4.
"concessional mass limit vehicle" means a vehicle:
(a) that is:
(i) a rigid motor vehicle which is not towing a trailer; or
(ii) a semi‑trailer including any prime mover in the combination; or
(iii) a B‑double combination including any prime mover in the combination; and
(b) whose owner is accredited under a mass management compliance assurance scheme; and
(c) that has been nominated, by the owner of the vehicle, to be included in the scheme.
conforming axle configuration , in respect of a vehicle, means:
(a) if the vehicle is a motor vehicle -- a configuration of axles consisting of:
(i) a single axle or a twin‑steer axle group towards the front of the vehicle; and
(ii) a single axle group towards the rear of the vehicle;
with the vehicle having no other axle group and no retractable axle;
(b) if the vehicle is a trailer (other than a semi‑trailer or the rear section of an articulated bus) -- a configuration of axles consisting of:
(i) a single axle group; or
(ii) both:
(A) a single axle group towards the front of the vehicle with all wheels on the axle group connected to the steering mechanism for that part of the trailer; and
(B) a single axle group towards the rear of the vehicle;
with the vehicle having no other axle group and no retractable axle; and
(c) if the vehicle is a semi‑trailer or the rear section of an articulated bus -- a configuration of axles consisting of a single axle group towards the rear of the vehicle, with the vehicle having no other axle group and no retractable axle.
conforming vehicle means a vehicle that is so designed that:
(a) each of its axles is:
(i) a single axle or part of a single axle; or
(ii) an axle included in any of a single axle group, a twin steer axle group, a tandem axle group, a triaxle group, a quad axle group or a close coupled axle group; and
(b) in the case of a trailer other than a semi‑trailer -- each wheel fitted to an axle located at the front of the vehicle is connected to the steering mechanism for the front part of the vehicle.
"dolly trailer" means a trailer used to convert a semi-trailer into a trailer with a steerable axle group towards its front end and another axle group towards its rear end.
D‑value , in relation to a rigid goods vehicle and trailer, an articulated vehicle or a B‑double, means a rating:
(a) based on the dynamic longitudinal force experienced by:
(i) a fifth wheel; or
(ii) a kingpin or pin type coupling;
for the particular combination and its load; and
(b) calculated in accordance with Australian Standard
1773‑1989 "Articulated Vehicles -- Fifth Wheel Assemblies" or
Australian Standard 2213‑1984 "50mm Pin Type Couplings and Drawbar Eyes
for Trailers", as the case requires.
engage in conduct means:
(a) do an act; or
(b) omit to perform an act.
fifth wheel , in relation to a prime mover or a dolly trailer, means a device used:
(a) to permit quick coupling and uncoupling of a semi‑trailer with the prime mover or dolly trailer; and
(b) to provide for the articulation of the combination.
gross combination mass , in relation to a vehicle, means the value specified by the manufacturer of the vehicle in respect of the vehicle as being the maximum of the sum of:
(a) the gross vehicle mass of the drawing vehicle; and
(b) the sum of the axle loads (calculated in accordance with these Regulations) of any vehicle capable of being drawn as a trailer.
"gross vehicle mass" , in relation to a vehicle, means the maximum laden mass specified by the manufacturer of the vehicle in respect of the vehicle.
higher mass limit vehicle means a motor vehicle that has a maximum permitted gross mass of, and is carrying, more than:
(a) the maximum permitted laden mass mentioned in column 3 of Schedule 3 for the vehicle's axle spacing; or
(b) for an axle group of the vehicle -- the axle load limit mentioned in column 3 of Schedule 4.
"inspector" has the same meaning as in subsection 44 (7) of the Act.
"kingpin" , in relation to a trailer, means the pin attached to the trailer that is used to connect it to the fifth wheel of a prime mover, a dolly trailer or a semi trailer.
"least favoured brake chamber" , in relation to a B-double, means the brake chamber with the longest line to the treadle valve in the B-double's prime mover.
load sharing , in relation to an axle group of a vehicle, means load sharing by means of a suspension system that:
(a) by hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical or other means, ensures that at any time a substantially equal share of the load borne by the axle group is transmitted to the road by each of the wheels in the axle group; and
(b) has effective damping characteristics on all the axles included in the axle group.
long combination vehicle means:
(a) a rigid truck or prime mover hauling 2 or more trailers; and
(b) does not include a B‑double.
manufacturer's rating means:
(a) for a rigid motor vehicle -- the gross vehicle mass specified for the vehicle by the manufacturer of the vehicle; and
(b) for an articulated motor vehicle -- the gross combination mass specified for the vehicle by the manufacturer of the vehicle; and
(c) for a trailer -- the gross vehicle mass specified for the trailer by the manufacturer of the trailer.
"mass management compliance assurance scheme" has the meaning given by regulation 3A.
"national standard" has the same meaning as in the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 .
"overall axle spacing" , in relation to a rigid motor vehicle or an articulated vehicle that includes a motor vehicle, means the distance between the centre line of the foremost axle and the centre line of the rearmost axle of that vehicle.
"police officer" has the same meaning as in subsection 44 (7) of the Act.
"prime mover" means a rigid motor vehicle designed to haul a semi-trailer.
"quad axle group" means a group of 4 axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre-lines of the outermost axles is more than 3.2 metres but not more than 4.9 metres.
"registration number" , in relation to a motor vehicle or trailer, means the code displayed, in accordance with regulation 21, on the registration plate of the motor vehicle or trailer.
"relevant Registration Authority" , in relation to a registered motor vehicle or trailer, means the Registration Authority that registered the motor vehicle or trailer.
"retractable axle" means an axle that can be raised so that the tyres on the axle do not touch the ground.
"road friendly suspension" has the meaning given by regulation 3B.
semi‑trailer means a trailer that is designed so that:
(a) it has a single axle or single axle group towards its rear and a means of attachment to a prime mover; and
(b) when it is attached to a prime mover, part of the mass of the trailer is borne by the prime mover.
severe risk overloading , for a motor vehicle or a trailer, means overloading by at least:
(a) 20% over the maximum permitted gross mass for the motor vehicle or trailer; or
(b) 20% over the maximum permitted gross mass on 1 or more axle groups of the motor vehicle or trailer.
"single axle group" means a group of 2 or more axles in which the horizontal distance between the centre-lines of the outermost axles is less than 1 metre.
"supply line" , in relation to a trailer, means the path by which the stored energy required to actuate or release the trailer's brakes is supplied from the coupling head on the towing vehicle to the spring brake control valve or similar significant device in the trailer's brake system.
"tandem axle group" , in relation to a vehicle, means a combination of 2 axles which are not less than 1 metre or more than 2 metres apart.
"the Charge Act" means the Interstate Road Transport Charge Act 1985 .
"the Act" means the Interstate Road Transport Act 1985 .
"triaxle group" , in relation to a vehicle, means a combination of 3 axles in which the front and rear axles are not less than 2 metres or more than 3.2 metres apart.
twin‑steer axle group , in relation to a motor vehicle, means an axle group of the motor vehicle:
(a) that consists of 2 axles each of which is fitted with one wheel at each end;
(b) the 4 wheels of which are connected to the same steering mechanism; and
(c) that has a space of not less than one metre and not more than 2 metres between the axles.
type , in relation to a vehicle, means:
(a) if the vehicle is a motor vehicle -- a type specified in Division 1 or 3 of Part 2 of the Schedule to the Charge Act; or
(b) if the vehicle is a trailer -- any type of trailer to which the Charge Act applies.
"UN ECE Agreement means the Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions" done at Geneva on 20 March 1958, as amended and in effect on 13 July 1999.
"variable proportioning brake system" , in relation to a vehicle, means a system that automatically adjusts the braking force at the vehicle's axles to compensate for vehicle static axle load or dynamic weight transfer between axles during deceleration.
vehicle identification number , in relation to a vehicle, means the number that:
(a) is located on the compliance plate of the vehicle; and
(b) identifies the vehicle and sets it apart from similar vehicles.
"wide tyre" means a tyre the maximum width of a cross-section of which is not less than 375 millimetres.
(2) In subregulation (1), a reference to the space between 2 axles of a vehicle is a reference to the space between the centre lines of those axles when those centre lines are lying each on one of 2 parallel vertical planes.
(3) In these regulations, a reference to the centre of an axle or an axle group, is a reference:
(a) in relation to a single axle -- to the centre of the axle; and
(b) in relation to a tandem axle group or a close coupled axle group of 2 axles:
(i) if the axles are fitted with an equal number of tyres -- to a line located half way between the axles; and
(ii) if one axle is fitted with twice the number of tyres of the other -- to a line located one third of the way from that axle towards the axle fitted with fewer tyres; and
(c) in relation to a twin steer axle group -- to a line located half way between the axles; and
(d) in relation to a triaxle group, a quad axle group or a close coupled axle group with more than 2 axles -- to a line located half way between the extreme axles of the group.
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