DRAFT HEAVY VEHICLE PRODUCTIVITY PLAN 2020–2025
Delivering safe, efficient and productive heavy vehicle movements supporting a strong and prosperous Australia
December 2019 About the NHVR The establishment of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) was agreed upon under an intergovernmental agreement between all Australian governments. It formally opened for business on 21 January 2013. Pre-submission How to make a formal As Australia’s dedicated, statutory consultation submission regulator for all vehicles over 4.5 To inform the development of the draft The formal submissions process provides tonnes 1, the NHVR provides leadership Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan 2020‒2025 a further opportunity for all the NHVR’s and drives sustainable improvements (the Plan), the NHVR undertook pre- regulatory partners and other stakeholders to safety, productivity and efficiency submission engagement with government to provide additional feedback. outcomes across the heavy vehicle and industry stakeholders between transport sector and the Australian This feedback will be used to inform the February 2019 and October 2019. This economy. final Plan and accompanying Action Plan, engagement involved: with the release date for these currently The NHVR’s purpose and functions • public sector consultation targeting expected to be in mid-2020. are established by the Heavy Vehicle all levels of government and peak National Law Act 2012 (Qld), and its government associations There is no prescribed format or maximum activities are guided by its statutory • private sector consultation targeting length for submissions, which may mandate. peak industry associations and heavy contain facts, opinions, arguments or vehicle operators recommendations. Accordingly, the NHVR seeks to ensure • private sector consultation targeting public safety, to manage the impact Submissions over three pages in length other bodies and agencies relevant to of heavy vehicles on the environment, should include a summary of key heavy vehicle access road infrastructure and public amenity, comments and recommendations at the • forming an Intergovernmental Working and to encourage innovation, beginning. Group comprising representatives productivity and safety. To do this, from the Commonwealth and all state Submissions must be submitted via email the NHVR works in partnership with and territory governments except the to [email protected] by 5pm AEST Friday the Commonwealth Government, its Northern Territory 13 March 2020. state and territory counterparts, local • forming a Local Government Association governments, other agencies, industry For more information on the submission Working Group with representation from and industry bodies. process, visit www.nhvr.gov.au/about-us/ all local government associations from consultation/heavyvehicleproductivityplan. Disclaimer HVNL-participating jurisdictions • hosting an online webinar on 26 June While every care has been taken in Publication of submissions 2019 targeted at local government and preparing this publication, the NHVR industry (see Appendix 1 for registered Unless clearly indicated (e.g. marked accepts no responsibility for decisions attendees). ‘IN CONFIDENCE’ or ‘CONFIDENTIAL’), or actions taken as a result of any submissions received may be made public data, information, statement or advice, Appendix 2 provides details of the at the NHVR’s discretion. expressed or implied, contained more than 50 government and industry within. To the best of our knowledge, stakeholders who directly participated in The NHVR will consider all submissions the content was correct at the time of the pre-submission consultation process. received by close of submissions, whether publishing. published or not. Interpreter service statement The NHVR reserves the right to edit or redact part or all of a submission, or The NHVR is committed to providing withhold a submission from publication on accessible services to people from any grounds, including, but not limited to, all culturally and linguistically diverse offensive language, potentially defamatory backgrounds. If you have difficulty material or copyright infringing material. understanding this document, please contact us and we will arrange an The NHVR privacy policy, including interpreter to communicate it to you. information about access to and correction of personal information, is available at Contact information www.nhvr.gov.au/law-policies/privacy. For further information about the draft Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan 2020- 2025 or the NHVR’s activities, functions and services, please visit our website or 2020–2025 contact us via: Email: [email protected] Phone: 1300 MYNHVR (1300 696 487) PO Box 492, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
1 A heavy vehicle is defined in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) as a vehicle that has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) or aggregate trailer mass (ATM) of over 4.5
Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle tonnes.
2 Foreword
I am pleased to present the NHVR’s draft Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan 2020–2025 (the Plan) for public consultation. The Plan outlines our objectives and goals to deliver safe, efficient and productive heavy vehicle movements supporting a strong and prosperous Australia. It complements and supports government heavy vehicle, freight and supply chain strategies. While we seek opportunities to improve access and productivity under the current Heavy Vehicle National Law Act 2012 (HVNL), we believe the Plan will be sufficiently resilient and flexible to adapt to any changes proposed through the National Transport Commission’s review of the HVNL. Through initial research and consultation, we found industry wanted greater access and certainty; the Commonwealth, state and territory governments desired improved consistency and more data to be more effective and efficient; and local governments sought further support for heavy vehicle access and road infrastructure decisions. Critically, both industry and government prioritised safer and more productive vehicles that are better for the economy, environment and communities. The Plan provides stakeholders with the opportunity to further refine the objectives and goals through this formal submissions process. We believe that only through comprehensive government and industry engagement can we develop an Action Plan that considers the ambitions of all our stakeholders. Issues and initiatives identified through the formal submissions process will be thoroughly reviewed and considered for implementation in the Action Plan. The Action Plan will form part of the finalHeavy Vehicle Productivity Plan to be released in 2020. The NHVR operates in a dynamic environment and remains committed to being a modern regulator with modern practices. We will continue to engage and listen to government and industry, and use technology, data and policies to deliver positive outcomes. The NHVR and all its stakeholders have a role in delivering the objectives and goals outlined in the Plan. Collaboration in proactive delivery with industry and government will maximise our opportunities for success. The NHVR Board and Executive Leadership Team value your commitment and contribution, and we look forward to working together to deliver the final Plan and associated Action Plan.
Sal Petroccitto
CEO 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
3 The process to deliver the Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan 2020–2025
Letters to responsible Ministers Establishment of Establishment of internal NHVR and Departmental Heads of Intergovermental Working Project establishment Project Control Group Commonwealth, state and Group and Local Government January 2019 territory governments Association Working Group January 2019 January 2019 February 2019
Local government and industry Pre-submission consultation Release of draft Heavy Vehicle Working Group meetings webinar with government and industry Productivity Plan 2020–2025 (Appendix 1) (Appendix 2) March 2019–June 2019 December 2019 April 2019 June 2019–October 2019
Develop final Heavy Vehicle Release final Heavy Vehicle Formal public consultation Review of submissions Productivity Plan 2020–2025 Productivity Plan 2020–2025 process and associated Action Plan and associated Action Plan From March 2020 December 2019–March 2020 From March 2020 Estimated by 30 June 2020
Implementation Review and refinement Ongoing from July 2020 Annually
The NHVR’s stakeholder profile Australia’s heavy vehicle profile 4
200,000 people 425 road managers 19.5 MILLION 103,038 in the Australian road under the HVNL registered motor vehicles articulated trucks freight industry 1
2020–2025 353,759 50,000 6 HVNL heavy rigid trucks 99,379 Australian road participating buses 2 freight businesses jurisdictions 3
1 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, 6291.0.55.003 - Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, Nov 2018 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, 8165.0 Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, June 2013 to June 2017 3 The Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.
Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle 4 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, 9309.0 - Motor Vehicle Census, Australia, 31 January 2019
4 Contents
Pre-submission consultation 2 How to make a formal submission 2 Foreword 3 The process to deliver the Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan 2020–2025 4 The national road freight and heavy vehicle access picture 6 About the draft Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan 7 Priority outcomes 9
Objective 1: Provide access certainty and consistency 10 Goal 1: Increase gazetted and pre-approved networks to remove the majority of permits for low-risk movements 10 Goal 2: Provide greater certainty for PBS vehicles 12 Goal 3: Understand the real capacity and capability of roads and bridges on key freight routes 13 Goal 4: Understand how de-identified movement data can improve access 14 Goal 5: Deliver a modern risk-based approach to access based on infrastructure capabilities 15
Objective 2: Partner with local government to build capability 16 Goal 1: Develop an education and support program for local government 16 Goal 2: Equip local government with route assessment products 17 Goal 3: Enable governments and industry to identify and advocate for infrastructure investment 18
Objective 3: Promote safer and more-productive vehicles that are better for the environment and communities 19 Goal 1: Encourage the uptake of modern and safer heavy vehicles 19 Goal 2: Deliver a modern approach to the PBS scheme 21 Goal 3: Promote awareness of planning and design for modern and safer heavy vehicles 22
Appendix 1: Online webinar registrations 23 Appendix 2: Pre-submission consultation register 24 Appendix 3: Understanding heavy vehicle access under the NHVR 25 Appendix 4: Heavy vehicle data acquisition and enrichment under the NHVR 27 Appendix 5: The Performance Based Standards scheme 28 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
5 The national road freight and heavy vehicle access picture Access permits and notices by the numbers
Over 200,000 single access permit Over 120 national, state and transitional notices applications processed by the NHVR since inception 1 Over 2,000 pre-approved routes covering over Over 40,000 single access permit applications processed by 43,000KM of road the NHVR in 2018–19: Pre-approvals reduce end-to-end permit issue time by 94% of all applications approved 68% 99% of renewal applications approved 8.9% of granted consents made by pre-approval with average permit issue time of 4.55 days Requested routes: 1 to over 900 per permit 91.1% of granted consents made with no pre-approval with Road managers: 1 to over 70 per permit – 1.7 road managers involved in an average permit average permit issue time of 14.18 days
Consent request: Local government road Australia’s growing freight task managers in 2018–19: The Australian economy is the 13TH LARGEST globally but 93% approved within 28 days with average turnaround 2 Australia has the FIFTH LARGEST freight task of 5.5 days Australia’s road freight task is growing almost approved outside of 28 days with average turnaround TWICE AS FAST 7% as its population. 3, 4 of 67 days Total freight task is over 738 BILLION tonne kilometres – Consent requests: State government road managers in 2018–19: 80% growth between 2010 and 2030 5 93% approved within 28 days with average turnaround 163 tonnes of freight is moved per person per year 6 of 4.9 days Road freight task is over 214 BILLION tonne kilometres 7 7% approved outside of 28 days with average turnaround of 63.8 days Almost 30% of all freight is moved by road 8
Road freight movements: 75% within and 25% between state and territory borders 9
Road transport = $137 BILLION in economic output 10 2020–2025
1 A single access permit application may involve more than one road manager 2 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2018, Freight transport 3 Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, 2018, Australian Infrastructure Statistics Yearbook 2018, Australian Government 4 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, 3101.0 - Australian Demographic Statistics, Dec 2014, Dec 2015, Dec 2016, Dec 2017, Dec 2018 5 Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities, 2018, Inquiry into National Freight and Supply Chain Priorities – Report March 2018, Australian Government 6 Ibid 7 Ibid 8 Ibid 9 NTC, 2016, Who Moves What Where: Freight and Passenger Transport in Australia
Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle 10 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, 5270.0 - Australian Transport Economic Account: An Experimental Transport Satellite Account
6 About the draft Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan
Background • removing the need for road managers The NHVR and others support a transition to assess repeat applications when to a risk-based approach. This is The NHVR is Australia’s dedicated statutory considered safe and sustainable demonstrated through government and regulator for all heavy vehicles over • encouraging access decisions that industry submissions to the first NTC HVNL 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass or aggregate promote both productivity and Review issues paper Risk-based heavy trailer mass. It also has a direct regulatory infrastructure longevity vehicle regulation. relationship with all levels of government • educating and supporting local and the heavy vehicle industry. government Amendment disclaimer The NHVR is uniquely positioned to • acquiring and sharing data and support a national approach to addressing analytics on road assets and heavy The final Plan may be updated to reflect Australia’s growing road freight task, and vehicle movements. any feedback received during the is committed to achieving access and formal submissions process, and any productivity outcomes for the benefit of its Action Plan recommendations tabled by the finalised government and industry partners and the HVNL Review and the Productivity An Action Plan and associated community at large. Commission Inquiry into National Transport performance measurements and targets Regulatory Reform that have a material The NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Productivity will be developed after submissions impact on the role and functions of the NHVR. Plan 2020–2025 (the Plan) outlines the have been reviewed. This will ensure NHVR’s goals and objectives to facilitate that stakeholder feedback, including any safe, efficient and productive heavy vehicle proposed recommendations, have been Strategic direction movements to support Australia’s rapidly adequately considered. The NHVR Corporate Plan 2019–2022 growing freight task. The Action Plan will be released in 2020 as The Plan is aligned with the NHVR While it is not intended to encompass the an accompanying document to the final Corporate Plan 2019–2022, prepared NHVR’s full future work program, the Plan Plan, and will serve as a comprehensive under the HVNL and approved by articulates actions that will be undertaken response to submissions received. responsible Ministers. The Corporate Plan to improve access and productivity over the Stakeholder feedback will assist in refining articulates the NHVR's agenda over the next five years. the Plan, determining performance next three years regarding: Achieving genuine safety outcomes is also measurements and targets, estimating • promoting public safety a key focus of the Plan. timeframes for deliverables, and confirming • managing the impact of heavy vehicles the relevant stakeholders with whom the on the environment, road infrastructure The Plan complements and supports NHVR will partner to deliver actions (where and public amenity government heavy vehicle, freight and applicable). • promoting industry productivity and supply chain strategies. efficiency in the road transport of goods The support of the Commonwealth, state, The HVNL Review and passengers by heavy vehicles territory and local governments and • encouraging and promoting productive, industry will be vital to delivering certain The National Transport Commission (NTC) efficient, innovative and safe business actions, and the NHVR will partner with commenced a review of the Heavy Vehicle practices. relevant stakeholders where required. National Law Act 2012 (Qld)(HVNL) in late 2018 to create a more performance-based Inquiry into National Transport Regulatory and outcomes-focused law. Objectives Reform Consultation by the NTC will continue until The Plan has three objectives that resulted The Productivity Commission has led an May 2020. The dates for drafting and from extensive literature research and pre- inquiry to assess the economic impact of enacting the new HVNL have not yet been submission consultation with government and reforms to transport regulation agreed to announced. industry stakeholders. These objectives are: by the Council of Australian Governments The Plan focuses on policies and activities in 2008–09. Objective 1: Provide access certainty and that are both deliverable under the current consistency The scope includes national heavy vehicle HVNL and sufficiently flexible to adapt to transport regulatory reform, in addition to Objective 2: Partner with local government a new HVNL. This will allow the NHVR to that of other transport modes. The Plan has to build capability deliver immediate improvements to access
been drafted to consider this inquiry. 2020–2025 and productivity before the new HVNL is Objective 3: Promote safer and more enacted. Consultation is ongoing, with the final productive vehicles that are better for the report to the Commonwealth Government environment and communities The Plan also provides the opportunity to be released in April 2020. The date for to commence delivery of a longer-term, Key desired outcomes of these objectives public release of the final report has not yet modern access regime under the new include: been announced. HVNL, including mechanisms to support • removing the need for access permits for the adoption of risk-based access. a broader range of heavy vehicles Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
7 Alignment with government plans and strategies The Commonwealth Government’s National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, Review of Oversize Overmass (OSOM) Access Arrangements (the OSOM Review), work by the NTC and Austroads, and state and territory government freight plans and strategies informed the development of the Plan (refer to Figure 1 for primary reference material). Of note is that government documents collectively recognise the significance of heavy vehicles in supporting the growing freight task and predominantly focus on infrastructure outcomes to improve road freight productivity. The NHVR is not an infrastructure provider but supports the continuation of government infrastructure investment. The Productivity Commission warns that infrastructure alone will not be enough to support road freight in Australia 1, and first and last mile funding remains a significant challenge for local government. 2 The Plan therefore proposes non-infrastructure initiatives within the NHVR’s ambit to support and complement government infrastructure investment. The Plan aligns with and complements the heavy vehicle and road freight objectives identified by the NHVR’s government partners, inclusive of how the NHVR intends to implement aspects of agreed recommendations where it is a relevant and suitably responsible party. Importantly, the Plan also confirms the NHVR’s commitment to supporting government partners to deliver some of their initiatives. 2020–2025
Figure 1: Primary reference material that has informed the draft Heavy Vehicle Productivity 1 Productivity Commission, 2017, Shifting the Dial: 5 year Plan 2020-2025 productivity review, Australian Government 2 Australian Local Government Association, 2019, 2019 Local
Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle Government Roads and Transport Agenda
8 Priority outcomes
The objectives in the following sections • educating and supporting local Supporting information detail the proposed goals and actions to government to build capability A summary of important background achieve the below priority outcomes and • assisting road managers, particularly information that supports the proposed deliver on the intent of the Plan: local government, to understand goals and actions is provided in: • data and technology that provide a infrastructure quality on key heavy better understanding of heavy vehicle vehicle networks • Appendix 3: Understanding heavy networks, road usage and the pinch- • enabling government and industry to vehicle access under the NHVR points preventing access on desired identify and better advocate for targeted • Appendix 4: Heavy vehicle data routes investment in key freight roads and acquisition and enrichment under the • promoting an evidence-based and bridges. NHVR outcomes-focused access regime • Appendix 5: The Performance Based These priority outcomes were determined with effective, efficient, equitable and Standards scheme. based on feedback received from transparent access decisions more than 50 government and industry • progressive regulatory reform and stakeholders during the pre-submission enhanced regulatory services that consultation process. enable access to suitable routes and encourage the continual modernisation of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
9 Objective 1: Provide access certainty and consistency
Goal 1: Increase gazetted and pre-approved networks to remove the majority of permits for low-risk movements
Overview Deliver more notices with consistent and Improve collective commitment to deliver rationalised operating conditions national notices The NHVR envisions a future where permits are required by exception rather than as a Notices enable permit-free access and Legacy policy issues at a jurisdictional level rule (e.g. for high-risk movements requiring provide the opportunity to improve have played a significant role in delaying special conditions or new routes not consistency in operating conditions within or preventing the delivery of national previously assessed). Maximising the use and between state and territory borders. notices. of roads by creating end-to-end networks Currently there are over 120 national, state The NHVR recommends that a strong is critical to delivering significant economic and transitional notices, and more are governance model is developed and benefits across the country. being delivered by the NHVR in partnership agreed to by government stakeholders, In 2018–19, the NHVR processed over with jurisdictions and road managers. so the NHVR can work collaboratively 40,000 single access permit applications. and expeditiously with these parties. Important notices delivered to date include Of these, 94 per cent of new applications Arrangements to deliver new national the National Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicles were approved and 99 per cent of renewal notices must include agreement on Notice 2016, which the NHVR estimates applications were approved with little to no milestones, timeframes, and the scope and will benefit the economy by $130 million change to previous conditions applied. level of harmonisation. over 20 years, and the National Class Based on the fact that applications are 1 Agricultural Vehicle and Combination An agreed compromise at a ‘middle almost always approved, and most Notice 2019, which industry estimates will ground’ to achieve 100 per cent journeys have, at least in part, been eliminate permit requirements for 80 per harmonisation across borders may be travelled before, many risks on key freight cent of Australia’s agricultural fleet. counterproductive. Legacy arrangements routes should be known to road managers, may need to genuinely be protected for New notices should continue to be given the route assessments undertaken to significant local economic reasons not prioritised by similarly quantifiable benefits provide their consent. relevant to other areas. Rationalisation or to support critical industries, such as the and/or consolidation of access exemptions Understanding demand and volume on agricultural sector during periods of drought. and conditions may therefore be more consented routes will assist in identifying Continuing to improve access and suitable outcomes in some situations and prioritising initiatives that support consistency for the OSOM and Special instead of full harmonisation. improved access and certainty for low-risk Purpose Vehicle (SPV) industries is a key movements. outcome for the NHVR. In particular, Provide transparency to access decisions Gazetted and pre-approved networks are the NHVR supports the OSOM Review Road managers and industry have examples of how the NHVR partners with recommendation for the Commonwealth recommended that historic access permit road managers to improve access and Government and jurisdictions to resolve applications be made more openly certainty for industry use of specific vehicles inconsistent pilot and escort conditions accessible. This information will assist in on specific roads. They also remove the through the Transport and Infrastructure helping industry and road managers work need for road managers to repeat route Council. more closely together to identify potential assessments, allowing them to focus on Industry also has a role to play in gazetted and pre-approved network responding to more complex applications. successfully delivering new notices, opportunities. for example by providing data and Use evidence from the NHVR Portal to Easy access to granular information research on the vehicle fleet and expand gazetted and pre-approved (e.g. by vehicle type, mass or dimension) vehicle performance, communications networks on previously granted or refused routes and engagement to ensure industry would also ensure the most suitable Working smarter and continuing to is aware of potential changes to the routes are being used by industry, reduce deliver a stronger evidence base is vital to access environment, and education on the need for road managers to conduct partnering with road managers to expand understanding any new obligations. unnecessary repetitive assessments, gazetted and pre-approved networks. Key notices planned for delivery include preserve valuable road manager The NHVR will use trend information from the livestock loading and grain harvest knowledge and enable more officers to completed applications processed through management schemes, over-dimension participate in the route assessment process. the NHVR Portal to identify potential transport of baled commodities, and Figure 2 shows an example of how historic gazetted and pre-approved network extending the OSOM and SPV notices and access decisions could be displayed to opportunities, including those that may not gazetted networks. assist road managers and industry. have previously been considered. Historic access decisions could also be Where a trend indicates significant repetitive used to enable intelligent routing within
2020–2025 applications and granted consents, a the NHVR Portal’s Route Planner tool. substantiated case can be presented more Optimising access permit applications frequently to road managers. onto pre-approved and gazetted networks Where pre-approvals exist, the NHVR or previously permitted roads for similar will work closely with road managers to vehicles will expedite the end-to-end actively transfer pre-approved networks process. to gazetted networks, which removes the need for industry to apply for permits. Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
10 To increase gazetted and pre-approved vehicle types and access conditions networks to remove the majority of originally developed by the National permits for low-risk movement, the Association of Australian State Road NHVR proposes to: Authorities in 1981 • continue to partner with road • partner with jurisdictions to develop managers to expand gazetted and an agreed governance framework pre-approved networks and transition for new notices pre-approvals to gazettals • evaluate and develop digital tools • continue to partner with jurisdictions, that quantify and map historic access road managers and industry to permit decisions by road for different develop and deliver new notices vehicle types (approved, approved • implement agreed recommendations with conditions and refused) from the OSOM Review, where the • evaluate and develop digital tools NHVR is a relevant and suitably that enable intelligent routing within responsible party the NHVR Portal’s Route Planner tool. • partner with Austroads and jurisdictions to review OSOM and SPV mass and dimension limits,
Customer 1 Customer 2 Customer 3 Customer 4 Customer 5 Customer 6 Customer 7 Customer 8 Customer 9 Customer 10 Customer 11 Customer 12 Customer 13 Customer 14 2020–2025 Figure 2: Applications processed through the NHVR Portal for Brisbane City Council as a road manager in 2018–19 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
11 Goal 2: Provide greater certainty for PBS vehicles
Overview optimally operating on suitable equivalent Provide performance information to road prescriptive gazetted networks that have managers to increase permit access Collectively, governments have a already been assessed and established by responsibility to ensure heavy vehicles Despite the safety and productivity benefits road managers. can meet the country’s growing freight that PBS vehicles deliver, obtaining access task, which means delivering more goods The NHVR and road managers need permit approvals from multiple road with fewer vehicles in a safe manner. to work together to collectively open up managers is still a major hurdle. 3 Without greater certainty for PBS vehicles, access on equivalent prescriptive gazetted Knowing specific performance characteristics the benefits that can be delivered to the networks for PBS vehicles—by notice or by can eliminate the need to undertake economy and community from the PBS additional changes to the HVNL. certain assessments, influence access scheme will be lost (see Appendix 5). outcomes, assist in increasing road manager Provide improved data to open up access The HVNL was amended on 1 October understanding of PBS vehicles, and improve on PBS-specific networks 2018 to provide general access to PBS approval rates and response times. Level 1 vehicles operating at General It is relatively easy to develop PBS-length Currently, it is not compulsory for industry Mass Limits (GML), and two notices have networks for longer PBS vehicles, as route to provide road managers with the been developed for some PBS Level assessment only needs to consider vehicle performance results of specific PBS vehicles. 1 and Level 2 vehicles. 1 These access length (e.g. the stacking distance between If no detail is provided, route assessments reforms have predominantly benefited certain intersections may fit 26 metre are conducted using the ‘worst-case PBS truck and dogs, resulting in more of B-doubles but not 30 metre PBS Level 2B scenario’ (e.g. the Low Speed Swept Path these combinations being commissioned vehicles). of PBS Level 2 vehicles will never exceed compared to other PBS vehicles. For Developing PBS mass networks for heavier 8.7 metres). Performance results may be example, in 2018, 1,069 PBS truck and dog Tier 2 and Tier 3 PBS vehicles requires road provided upon request, but this is a practice combinations were approved compared to managers to undertake complex bridge seldom exercised by road managers. 269 B-doubles. assessments. This process is difficult, given A road manager may condition or The success of PBS truck and dogs also significant variation in the load effects of refuse the request based on their route shows that when access restrictions are different PBS vehicles even within the same assessments. If the performance of the removed, a safer and more-productive PBS level (due to mass and axle spacing). vehicle was in fact ‘better’ and known, then replacement becomes industry’s first choice Inadequate access to PBS configuration the road manager may have approved the of vehicle (e.g. PBS four-axle and above data is hindering road managers from request or may not have applied certain dog trailers dominate the market segment, undertaking bridge assessments to support conditions to their approval. with up to 90 per cent market share 2). the development of PBS mass networks for Tier 2 and Tier 3 vehicles. PBS configuration Provide access to equivalent prescriptive data is available on individual PBS vehicle gazetted networks approvals; however, axle spacing data To provide greater certainty for PBS Permit-free access is limited for many PBS to support bridge assessments requires vehicles, the NHVR proposes to: vehicles. Where mass and length are not deciphering of drawings. • continue to work with road prohibitive, the latent capacity of existing Providing comprehensive configuration managers to eliminate access infrastructure should be exploited to data to road managers for a broad range permit requirements for PBS vehicles eliminate permit requirements. of PBS vehicles will allow them to undertake on existing equivalent prescriptive For example, currently an approved PBS more efficient geometric and structural gazetted networks and on PBS- Level 2A B-double at GML with safer analysis. specific networks under notice on-road performance has no access to • partner with industry to provide road The NHVR, PBS manufacturers and industry gazetted routes under notice, whereas its managers with PBS configuration have a shared role to ensure road managers prescriptive equivalent—the 26m B-double— data to support the development of have easy access to this information, so benefits from a broad gazetted network PBS-specific networks under notice for they can open up access via notice to PBS (Table 1). No access is currently provided to longer and heavier PBS vehicles networks developed specifically for longer PBS Level 3A and 4A vehicles under notice. • partner with industry to provide road and heavier PBS vehicles. managers with vehicle performance This approach does not align with the information to assist in their route intent of the PBS scheme and prohibits assessments for PBS access permit better-performing PBS vehicles from applications.
Table 1: Example of current access comparison – Prescriptive B-double versus PBS 2A B-double Maximum Dimension (m) Maximum Low Speed Fitment of Safety Access to gazetted 26m Vehicle description Axle Group Mass (GML) Length Height Width Swept Path (m) Technology B-double routes 2020–2025
9-Axle B-double Yes 26 4.3 2.5 9.1 ABS (Prescriptive) Access allowed under notice 6.5t 16.5t 20.0t 20.0t
9-Axle B-double No 26 4.6 2.5 8.7 ABS, ESC, RSC (PBS 2A) Access permit is required 6.5t 16.5t 20.0t 20.0t
1 The National Class 2 PBS Level 1 & 2A Truck and Dog Trailer Authorisation Notice 2016 and the Queensland Class 2 Performance Based Standards A-Double (Toowoomba to Port of Brisbane) Authorisation Notice 2018. 2 NHVR and ARTSA, 2019, Performance Based Standards – Australia’s PBS fleetA
Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle 3 NTC, 2017, Assessing the effectiveness of the PBS Scheme Discussion Paper – August 2017
12 Goal 3: Understand the real capacity and capability of roads and bridges on key freight routes
Overview Collaborate to access and share Building a national map of roads and infrastructure information from Heavy bridges Currently, there is limited information Vehicle Road Reform available regarding the true capacity Improved visibility of road assets and their and capability of road and bridges The Commonwealth Government 1 and condition will allow the NHVR, government on key freight routes, particularly on Austroads 2 are developing the standards and industry to better match heavy vehicles local government roads. There is also and procedures for collecting and storing to suitable routes. This information can no centralised source for accessing this road asset data to support Heavy Vehicle be as simple as displaying existing GIS information in a transparent way for Road Reform (HVRR). Their work intends layers, with height restrictions or complex industry and governments. to cater for different levels of road asset structural information obtained from bridge data complexity, and to accommodate the inspections. The Commonwealth Government’s resources and capabilities of the smallest to National Freight and Supply Chain This information could be displayed on largest road managers. Strategy and the OSOM Review call the NHVR Portal Route Planner tool, with for a centralised approach to collecting HVRR provides a future opportunity for analytics performed by the NHVR’s suite and sharing asset data, highlighting it as NHVR systems to integrate and interface of back-end digital products to inform integral to facilitating heavy vehicle access. with Commonwealth Government systems operator applications or road manager However, this task remains challenging for to consume fields of road asset data they assessment decisions. all levels of government and, critically, data have collected relevant to heavy vehicle may not exist in some cases. access across all road managers. Understanding the real capacity of key Collaborate to access and share To understand the real capacity and roads and bridges will allow the NHVR, infrastructure information from road capability of roads and bridges on key road managers and industry to better managers freight routes, the NHVR proposes to: match the right heavy vehicle to the right network, opening up new access While the existing availability and quality • develop and deliver the Strategic possibilities in a safe and more productive of road asset data is disparate among Local Government Asset Assessment way, as well as making sure funding is different road managers, this information is Project to assist local government to targeted where it is needed most. still useful. A collaborative and centralised better understand the capacity and model for managing and sharing available capability of their roads and bridges Deliver the Strategic Local Government and useable asset data will play a critical on key freight routes Asset Assessment Project role in delivering a national risk-based • work with the Commonwealth approach to access. Government to continue delivering The Commonwealth Government recently the Strategic Local Government allocated $8 million to the NHVR to To enable this opportunity, it needs to be Asset Assessment Project beyond the undertake infrastructure assessments on understood what data is available and its current funded program behalf of local government, to assist them to currency, which data fields are relevant to • enhance and expand the NHVR’s understand the capacity and capability of access decisions, how the data is structured data acquisition agenda to include their roads and bridges in accordance with and managed, who owns it, and under road asset data relevant to heavy a consistent method and assessment criteria. what conditions it could it be shared. vehicle access decision-making An evidence-based framework is being The preferred method for obtaining existing on key freight routes, obtained via developed to identify assets on key freight valuable asset data on key freight routes is data-sharing agreements with the routes and to prioritise the schedule of through data-sharing agreements. Ideally Commonwealth Government and assessments. data acquisition should adopt a self-service road managers model, where road managers populate • build a national map of roads and The Strategic Local Government Asset an NHVR-built digital tool (as required) or bridges through evaluating and Assessment Project, as it is known, will the tool automatically consumes available developing digital tools that provide assist to provision access where collected information (e.g. via RSS feeds from a a central platform to consistently data suggests it is safe to do so. The data government open data website). store, manage and view asset will also assist local government to build a information. case to acquire funding for infrastructure Data-sharing agreements will formalise upgrades to provide future access. information sharing between road managers and the NHVR, and ensure The NHVR will work with the information is being used appropriately. Commonwealth Government to establish The NHVR has achieved success in an ongoing program of works to continue implementing data-sharing agreements to support local government to better through its Safety and Compliance understand infrastructure quality on key Regulatory Platform (SCRP). freight routes. 2020–2025
1 Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities, 2016, Heavy Vehicle Road Reform – What we are doing and why we are doing it, Australian Government
2 Austroads, 2018, Data standard for road management and investment in Australia and New Zealand ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
13 Goal 4: Understand how de-identified movement data can improve access
Overview Government telematics data collection Partner with government and industry programs to agree to the benefits of sharing GPS There is strong perceived value in tracking data governments and industry acting smarter Through the Australian Transport Data by partnering to share and use GPS Action Network, the Bureau of Infrastructure, It will be essential to establish data-sharing tracking data to achieve economic Transport and Regional Economics has protocols so industry knows its data is outcomes. The focus on GPS tracking data been leading a road freight telematics protected and only used for the way in recognises that the full suite of information data collection program, supported by the which it was intended. The NHVR is in a collected by telematics is not required to Australian Bureau of Statistics and industry. unique position—as a regulator rather than understand heavy vehicle movements and The aim of this program is to collect and a road manager—to reset and reframe the make informed access-decisions. provide timely and detailed information on use of telematics and GPS tracking data heavy vehicle movements from a range so they are seen as access-enabling tools During the pre-submission consultation, of industry telematics systems, to inform rather than compliance tools . road managers suggested that awareness infrastructure planning. of movement volume could encourage the As road managers and the NHVR obtain adoption of a lower risk profile. Importantly, The Commonwealth Government, more movement data, the performance of some road managers suggested that, in supported by Transport Certification the entire supply chain will progressively some cases, they would be more likely to Australia (TCA), has also commenced a improve through increased awareness grant approvals, provide quicker responses National Heavy Vehicle Charging Pilot to and commensurate network optimisation and apply fewer conditions if they were support future HVRR. 2 This pilot includes possibilities (e.g. the evidence base to given greater assurance of what vehicles testing a broad range of data collection upgrade roads or gazette roads under were moving where and how often, and if options to acquire vehicle position, distance notice). this data was provided with regularity. and location data from industry for planning and investment decision-making. 3 Consultation with peak industry associations and large operators indicated State and territory governments also collect To understand how de-identified that industry would be willing to voluntarily data from IAP and non-IAP telematics movement data can improve access, share de-identified GPS tracking data if systems for research, infrastructure protection the NHVR proposes to: there was a commitment regarding its use and access improvement initiatives (e.g. for access reasons and in accordance with TCA’s Road Infrastructure Management and • enhance and expand its data decision-making principles. Telematics Monitoring Application under acquisition agenda to include the National Telematics Framework). GPS tracking data, obtained via Industry GPS tracking data: IAP and data sharing agreements with alternative telematics systems National visibility of heavy vehicle government, TCA and industry movements • partner with road managers and The HVNL prescribes the Intelligent industry to establish an agreed Access Program (IAP) as the regulatory It is important to leverage off investments framework for sharing and interpreting telematics program in Australia for already made by government and industry GPS tracking data to enable greater productivity and compliance reasons (e.g. by seeking GPS tracking data from the access and productivity IAP is a requirement for the operation of entire telematics ecosystem. • evaluate and develop digital tools certain mobile cranes). Section 433 of Comprehensive national visibility of heavy that provide a common platform to the HVNL allows for the release and use vehicle movements, from multiple reliable consistently store, manage and view of IAP information for research purposes, sources with varying levels of assurance, GPS tracking data in a manner that if the information contains no personal is valuable for understanding trends, balances visibility for government information. However, IAP is not installed emerging demands and pinch-points on against privacy for industry. on most heavy vehicles 1 GPS tracking data the entirety of Australia’s road network—not from IAP therefore only represents a small just for state- and territory-controlled roads, portion of total heavy vehicle movements. in a particular local government area or for Figure 3: Area heat-map of SPV Most medium to large road transport a specific operator. movements in a Local Government Area 4 companies already utilise non-IAP telematics and other proprietary technology systems to meet a range of complex business needs. These systems vary considerably, and involve a substantial investment to address specific tasks or needs in regard to safety and productivity. 2020–2025
1 Deloitte Access Economics, 2019, Economic benefits of improved regulation in the Australian trucking industry, Australian Trucking Association 2 Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities, 2016, Heavy Vehicle Road Reform – What we are doing and why we are doing it, Australian Government 3 Austroads, 2019, Key freight routes – heavy vehicle usage data project
Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle 4 TCA, 2019, TCA Analytics Overview
14 Goal 5: Deliver a modern risk-based approach to access based on infrastructure capabilities
Overview Tasmanian Department of State Growth Developing a national risk-based access OSOM and SPV Access Project model A modern, risk-based approach to access would enable a wider range of vehicles In 2015, the Department of State Growth The NHVR will work with road managers (with the same performance) to access (DSG) commenced a project to maximise and industry to start developing and roads, through road managers assessing access for OSOM and SPV movements agreeing to a national, risk-based access and consenting to an agreed and while protecting road infrastructure. The two model. The model will be dependent on transparent set of infrastructure parameters notices developed by DSG, in conjunction the following elements: instead of consenting to individual vehicles with the NHVR, aim to remove permit • agreed National Risk-based (e.g. the maximum mass or dimension requirements for approximately 80 per cent Infrastructure Parameters (including asset limits for a given road or bridge). of OSOM movements and 95 per cent of data requirements) SPV movements in Tasmania. The notices • road managers knowing the capabilities A modern, risk-based approach requires a are supported by online maps identifying and limitations of their roads and shared responsibility, where road managers approved routes, conditions of travel and bridges are required to know their infrastructure ‘no go zones’. • agreed public safety and amenity capabilities and industry is responsible for decision-making principles that are appropriately self-assessing its vehicles in Key to delivering this access model is: consistent and sensible line with these capabilities. • a central government body funding and • agreed infrastructure decision-making coordinating the assessment of key road Any vehicle that is determined to be able to principles that are risk-based infrastructure to develop comprehensive be safely accommodated within nationally • geospatial mapping of approved and integrated networks agreed infrastructure tolerances should conditioned networks and ‘no go zones’ • supporting local government to better be granted access. The approach would • self-assessment by industry and GPS understand how their infrastructure could include the ability for road managers to tracking of heavy vehicles as an accommodate heavy vehicles identify clear ‘no go zones’, where certain assurance mechanism. • the development of an access heavy vehicles on certain roads would framework where categories of heavy come at an unacceptable risk to public vehicles are granted/refused access to safety, amenity or infrastructure. tailored vehicle-specific networks in ways To deliver a modern, risk-based A modern, risk-based approach should not that reflect their relative risk to relevant approach to access based on diminish road managers’ rights to approve road infrastructure infrastructure capabilities, the NHVR or refuse access, but would instead greatly • ensuring the access framework is proposes to: increase transparency and speed in understood and agreed by government • develop an agreed national, risk- providing access decisions. and industry stakeholders. based access model, in partnership The DSG project is an example of how with road managers and industry to develop and implement a successful • commence implementing the national, modern, risk-based approach to access. risk-based access model across The initiative also serves as a model to participating jurisdictions, subject to learn from and adapt for expansion on a government funding and partnership national scale and for other non-OSOM with road managers and industry. heavy vehicles. 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
15 Objective 2: Partner with local government to build capability
Goal 1: Develop an education and support program for local government
Overview Continuing to educate road managers, The Queensland HVALO is integral to and expanding education and training relationship building between stakeholders, Consultation with road managers, in methods and material, will further improve proactively assists local government to particular local government, identified road managers’ capability and confidence understand its freight task, and has led the following issues that can affect timely, to ensure future access decisions are the development and delivery of training accurate and consistent decisions: informed, consistent and timely. This may on heavy vehicles and route assessments • varying understanding of the include providing new information sheets, across regional and urban Queensland. infrastructure impacts and safety and workshops, online webinars and eLearning. This has proven to be a successful support environmental performance of different model that represents the interests of, and Education is a shared responsibility, and the heavy vehicles acts on behalf of, local government. Commonwealth Government, jurisdictions • uncertainty regarding the engineering and local government also have a role assessments required for different heavy to play to ensure a minimum acceptable vehicles on different roads and bridges national standard of knowledge and • not all road managers are engineers, capability. To develop an education and support and specialist engineers may not be program for local government, the available to provide advice Implementing Heavy Vehicle Access NHVR proposes to: • high road manager turnover results Liaison Officers in the loss of valuable accumulated • partner with government at all corporate knowledge Most jurisdictions’ freight strategies levels to continue the delivery and • elected representatives have intervened communicate an intention and willingness expansion of education and training in the decision-making process in to support local government. The to road managers on heavy vehicle response to constituent concerns about NHVR supports the OSOM Review performance and route assessments heavy vehicle use in local areas. recommendation that having a Heavy • investigate the development of Vehicle Access Liaison Officer (HVALO) an accredited training program Education to improve capability in each jurisdiction would offer significant that contributes to professional The NHVR’s education activities focus on benefits to local government. status credits, such as Continuing direct engagement with road managers, in Professional Development for The NHVR and the Local Government particular local government, and bringing chartered engineers Association of Queensland have piloted them together with industry. • continue to encourage the a Queensland HVALO since 2017. The Commonwealth Government and For example, in October 2019, the NHVR NHVR is working with the South Australian jurisdictions to progress and fund the hosted a heavy vehicle access forum to Department of Planning, Transport and OSOM Review recommendation to help council engineers understand how to Infrastructure to implement a HVALO implement HVALOs. make informed decisions on PBS access in South Australia. Other participating and the benefits of PBS vehicles on their jurisdictions are yet to finalise positions and road networks. The two-day event also funding models for a HVALO. included presentations from the NHVR and industry experts, and field trips to crane, PBS and OSOM operators. 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
16 Goal 2: Equip local government with route assessment products
Overview Table 2: Pavement wear comparison One operator can have a different access Semitrailer PBS A-double Difference outcome than another operator for the General Mass Limit mass (t) 43 79.5 +85 % same freight task, due to a different Trips per 1,000t 42 21 -50 % assessment method being applied, despite Equivalent Standard Axles per 1,000t 304 225 -26 % relevant vehicle and route factors being the same. It is critical that assessments Utilisation of existing route assessment Delivering new route assessment products are undertaken in a consistent manner to products ensure equity and fairness for industry. Delivering robust fit-for-purpose route Route assessment guidelines have been assessment products that meet the needs Significant variation in vehicle type, axle developed by the NTC, jurisdictions and and expectations of road managers can mass, axle spacing and bridge construction Austroads. In August 2018, the NHVR, contribute to creating a consistent and makes assessing the structural capacity of the Australian Road Research Board informed national assessment standard, a bridge a complex, costly and resource- (ARRB) and local government associations minimise personal decision-making and consuming task, which acts as a barrier partnered to deliver the Restricted Access enable quicker decisions. to timely access decisions. Some road Vehicle Route Assessment Tool (RAVRAT) to managers also do not have easy access to Three frequently requested products local governments for free. RAVRAT is an qualified bridge engineers. include a heavy vehicle bridge assessment online tool designed to provide a consistent system, calculators comparing pavement Road managers have in the past refused and defensible route assessment method. impacts for different heavy vehicle types to grant access to PBS A-Doubles operating RAVRAT was initially launched in 2012 as a and mass, and tools to conduct and at GML in a belief that this will protect fee-for-service platform. compare swept paths for different vehicles. roads from pavement deterioration, but Consultation with local government these refusals are causing more damage identified that these current guidelines and over time compared to the impact of tools are infrequently used because of lack smaller general access vehicles required to of awareness they exist—they are not sure To equip local government with route complete the same freight task (Table 2). which one to use, they are too complex or assessment products, the NHVR To provide the best net balance between time-consuming, and they are not the route proposes to: safety, infrastructure protection and assessment products they want. • survey local governments to better productivity, it is important to ensure access understand their utilisation of decisions are informed and in line with “Austroads has developed … a set current route assessment tools and the actual performance of heavy vehicles of nationally consistent guides … guidelines and their preferences for on roads. It is also important that road However, guidelines such as these can new tools and guidelines managers are equipped with the right only be of use if local governments • partner with Austroads and route assessment products to assist them in have sufficient resources with the jurisdictions to commence the making timely decisions. expertise and capacity to assess and development of nationally consistent map networks.” 1 access decision-making frameworks • publish the revised, ‘Approved Guidelines for Granting Access’ • investigate the enhancement of RAVRAT or develop new route 1 NTC, 2017, Assessing the effectiveness of the PBS Scheme assessment tools, in particular to assist structural, pavement and swept path assessments. 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
17 Goal 3: Enable governments and industry to identify and advocate for infrastructure investment
Overview NHVR data and programs to support funding advocacy Productivity is dependent on the performance of all roads. There is an Having comprehensive data on historic To enable governments and industry to infrastructure funding gap, and local access decisions 4, the standard of national identify and advocate for infrastructure governments, in particular, require financial assets 5 and the national road freight task 6 investment, the NHVR proposes to: support to upgrade and build new will enable government and industry to • evaluate and develop digital tools infrastructure on the first and last mile to identify and better advocate for targeted that monitor and report on key freight support the growing road freight task. investment in key freight roads and bridges. routes being travelled The Commonwealth Government has Data from the NHVR can also assist to • evaluate and develop digital tools announced an investment of $100 billion inform asset management and long-term that monitor and report on significant on transport infrastructure as part of its financial planning. For example, it may be repetitive access permit applications 10-year rolling infrastructure plan 1, and the better to redirect funds to invest regularly in conditioned or refused by road state and territory government infrastructure maintaining one key corridor and maintain managers spend is over $150 billion from 2018–19 to other corridors less regularly. • provide a hub to access and provide 2021–22 2. inputs to data, reports and maps on This data would also be useful for key freight routes being travelled and Some of this is directed to local government accurately determining required levels of key bottlenecks on industry desire lines. (e.g. through the Fixing Country Roads service. Understanding how roads and program funded by the New South bridges are actually being used by different Wales Government and the Northern heavy vehicles avoids the risks and costs Australia Beef Roads Program co-funded of under-embellishing key routes and by the Commonwealth, Northern Territory, over-embellishing routes not used by heavy Queensland and Western Australian vehicles. Governments). However, ALGA suggests local government is still not getting an equitable share. 3 Knowing what is moving where, when and 877,000KM how often, and knowing where industry has of roads (150,000km urban been refused access, will assist in identifying and 727,000km non-urban) 7 and prioritising investment opportunities on key freight roads and bridges.
662,000KM of local government roads (75% of total road network) 8
65,000 bridges 9 2020–2025
1 Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities, 2019, Building Our Future: Delivering the Right Infrastructure for a Growing Nation, Australian Government 2 Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, 2018, Australian Infrastructure Budget Monitor 2018–2019 3 Australian Local Government Association, 2019, 2019 Local Government Roads and Transport Agenda 4 Refer Objective 1, Goal 1 5 Refer Objective 1, Goal 3 6 Refer Objective 1 Goal 4 7 Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, 2018, Australian Infrastructure Statistics Yearbook 2018, Australian Government 8 Australian Local Government Association, 2019, 2019 Local Government Roads and Transport Agenda
Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle 9 Austroads, 2019, Scoping Study: Heavy Vehicle Bridge Assessment System – DRAFT INTERNAL REPORT
18 Objective 3: Promote safer and more-productive vehicles that are better for the environment and communities
Goal 1: Encourage the uptake of modern and safer heavy vehicles
Overview To comply with Australia’s width limits, in mass limits to maintain existing levels of imported vehicles often undergo productivity. There is precedent for this to Most heavy vehicles in Australia are modifications, such as removal of non- occur (e.g. the 500kg concession provided imported from Asia, Europe or North compulsory safety components. Industry to upgrade to Euro IV). America. Australian heavy vehicle may also not purchase optional vehicle standards are more than 90 per cent Given significant advancements in safety inclusions to ensure compliance with harmonised with international vehicle and environmental technology, a greater Australia’s width limits. standards, such as United Nations (UN) emphasis should be placed on progressive regulations (depending on the vehicle Current Australian practice is to provide regulation and sound scientific research category). standard traffic lanes widths of 3.5m, or and evidence to determine where these 3.0m for low-speed roads with low truck technologies can deliver the necessary Given significant technological volumes. 1 Safety technology, such as lane assurances and performance to improve development, further harmonising departure warning systems and cameras, productivity and encourage the update of Australia’s heavy vehicle standards with may provide the confidence that vehicles modern and safer vehicles. international standards and progressive wider than 2,500mm can remain in lane regulation that encourages fleet and not compromise road safety. modernisation will offer major benefits, such as improved driver and community To mitigate the potential for rollovers, 4.6m safety (Figure 4) and reduced carbon high freight vehicles have their mass limited To encourage the uptake of modern emissions (Table 3). to 90 per cent of what could normally be and safer heavy vehicles, the NHVR carried legally on the same road if the proposes to: Finalisation of Austroads research, vehicle was 4.3m high. • support the Commonwealth Commonwealth Government regulatory Government in further harmonising impact statements and recommendations Subject to rigorous research, safety Australia’s vehicle standards with from the Strategic Vehicle Safety technology, such as electronic and rollover international standards (e.g. through and Environment Group will assist in stability control systems, may enable 4.6m amendments to the Australian Design determining access options that the NHVR high vehicles to operate at 100 per cent Rules) can deliver for innovative but larger and payload without having a higher risk of • develop policies that provide heavier vehicles. vehicle rollover. regulatory options to grant access The UN Euro VI emission standard is to roads for larger and/or heavier Technology to support innovative and better for the environment than Australia’s vehicles fitted with certain safety and modern vehicles currently mandated Euro V standard. environmental technologies. Australia is among the few countries in However, Euro VI emission standard the developed world to have a regulated compliant vehicles are heavier than Euro V maximum vehicle width of 2,500mm. vehicles. Major international markets are generally As a payload critical industry, there would wider, such as the United States at be no commercial incentive to justify an 2,600mm and the European Union at investment to upgrade without an increase 2,550mm. 1 Austroads, 2016, Guide to Road Design Part 3 – Geometric Design 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
19 Table 3: Exhaust emissions based on year of manufacture 3 Estimated average age of: 1 PM NOx Year Emission Test Limit Multiple Test Limit Multiple BUSES Standard Pre–1996 None 1.2 x120 16.0 x40
(Euro 0) 11.6 YEARS Pre–2003 ADR70/00 0.4 x36 7.6 x28 (29.4% manufactured before 2003) (Euro I) Pre–2008 ADR80/00 0.1 x10 5.0 x13 (Euro III) HEAVY RIGID TRUCKS Pre–2011 ADR80/00 0.02 x2 3.5 x9 (Euro IV) 2011 ADR80/00 0.02 x2 2.0 x5 (Euro V) 15.6 YEARS (41.4% manufactured before 2003) Not yet ADR80/00 0.01 x1 0.4 x1 known (Euro VI)
Notes: ARTICULATED TRUCKS • Exhaust emission levels are measured as g/kWh (gram per kilowatt hour). • Data for pre-1996 is an average. 11.8 YEARS • Data for other years assumes engines are built to applicable (27.8% manufactured before 2003) Euro standard.
Figure 4: Major non-conformity vs vehicle age 2 2020–2025
1 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, 9309.0 - Motor Vehicle Census, Australia, 31 January 2019 2 National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, 2017, National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey
Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle 3 Truck Industry Council, 2019, Truck Industry Council Budget Submission 2019/20
20 Goal 2: Deliver a modern approach to the PBS scheme
Overview Incrementally enabling fleet PBS Manufacturer’s Certification Scheme interchangeability (PBSMCS) The NHVR has worked closely with industry and jurisdictions to improve The PBS scheme is currently structured to Around 80 manufacturers are involved in regulatory efficiency. For example, the approve whole combinations (e.g. B-double, supplying PBS vehicles and equipment in NHVR introduced the Pre-advised Design prime mover and semitrailer), rather than Australia. With a compound annual growth Approval process in March 2017. 1 vehicle units. These approvals are very rate of 28 per cent since 2007, enabling specific and do not allow for simple fleet manufacturers to self-certify 4 the PBS Since implementation, processing times interchangeability, even when it poses vehicles they design and build will provide for pre-advised designs have on average no additional safety risk (e.g. swapping opportunities to accelerate this growth. reduced from four weeks to three business compatible prime movers when a prime days. To date, most major designs have By allowing manufacturers to conduct mover is unavailable). been pre-advised by the PBS Review Panel, most of the work in-house, it will be and 85 per cent of all design approvals Enabling fleet interchangeability would quicker, easier and cheaper to deploy a qualify for the simplified Pre-advised Design provide increased flexibility and reduce PBS vehicle onto roads. Based on 2018–19 Approval process. costs and inconvenience to industry. This average certification costs and number of approach would need to be carefully certifications, the NHVR estimates that up to Having administered the PBS scheme and incrementally introduced to preserve $5 million could be saved annually through for over five years, the NHVR has gained confidence in the safety performance of manufacturer self-certification. important learnings and identified other PBS vehicles currently provided by whole key areas that, if implemented, would Manufacturers would need to adhere combination approvals. further enhance and modernise the PBS to some form of audit process, similar to scheme. the requirements of the Commonwealth Transition of common and mature designs Government’s Single Unit Type Inspection to the HVNL Updating the PBS standards (SUTI) or the National Heavy Vehicle The PBS scheme was designed to be a Accreditation Scheme. The PBS standards were originally testing ground for new and innovative developed in the late 1990s by the NTC, heavy vehicle concepts, some of which and the modelling and testing procedures could become common and transition out were approved by the Australian Transport of the PBS scheme and into regulation. This To deliver a modern approach to the Council in 2007. The NTC has suggested would assist to increase the uptake of PBS PBS scheme, the NHVR proposes to: that the standards should be reviewed to vehicles by industry through reducing the reform and modernise the PBS scheme. 2 • finalise the review of the PBS vehicle cost and time to get vehicles proven to be performance and infrastructure The standards review has already of minimal risk onto roads. standards commenced, starting with the review A major challenge for the NTC, the NHVR • work with the PBS Review Panel to of tyre management practice and tyre and the PBS Review Panel is identifying enable fleet interchangeability for characteristics—as they relate to different suitable PBS vehicle candidates and PBS combinations performance measures—and the review appropriately transitioning the inherently • in partnership with the NTC and of the Frontal Swing, Directional Stability bespoke nature of PBS vehicles into the PBS Review Panel, commence Under Braking And Pavement Horizontal prescriptive regulation. identifying and transitioning suitable Loading standards. common and mature PBS vehicles Completing the review and updating PBS blueprints into regulation the standards (where appropriate) will • continue to partner with industry and A PBS blueprint is an approved PBS ensure the PBS scheme reflects the highest the PBS Review Panel to pre-advise design that allows bypassing early standards of safety and provides further more PBS designs and PBS blueprints. stages in the PBS approvals process and opportunities to improve productivity. • investigate the development of a PBS progression straight through to certification Manufacturers Certification Scheme. (i.e. checking that a vehicle is built in accordance with the approved design). Most PBS blueprints are developed by manufacturers. Some open access PBS blueprints exist but these are not widely used by industry. Pre-advising more PBS blueprints and other PBS designs, as recommended by the NTC, 3 will make it cheaper, quicker and easier to get PBS vehicles onto roads, thereby making the PBS scheme more attractive to new market entrants. 2020–2025
1 A pre-advised PBS design is a well-known design that has been frequently assessed and approved and no longer requires further assessment by the PBS Review Panel. 2 NTC, 2018, Reforming the Performance Based Standards Scheme 3 Ibid. 4 Currently under the PBS scheme Vehicle Certification Rules, manufacturers can only issue manufacturer’s certificates for vehicles built in accordance with a previous certification by a PBS Approved Certifier (i.e.
based on previously approved concepts). The current process does not allow for manufacturer self-certification of new concepts. ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
21 Goal 3: Promote awareness of planning and design for modern and safer heavy vehicles
Overview Land use supporting heavy vehicles Many industrial developments and roads were constructed for historically smaller Governments are responsible for managing Government land use planning and and lighter vehicles. Continued use of growth and change through planning that policies should be consistent with the outdated design standards will mean land balances the social, environmental and freight task that supports their economies. and infrastructure will increasingly fail to economic needs and aspirations of their Industrial operations should be accommodate innovation in the heavy communities. Heavy vehicle access and safeguarded, particularly those operating vehicle fleet. productivity are dependent on zoning and overnight or 24 hours a day. development being appropriately located Planning and design standards must be The NHVR is aware of cases where truck and supported by the right infrastructure. progressively and suitably updated to bans and curfews have been implemented provide access to modern vehicles that are While planning is not an NHVR in industrial areas because of adjacent safer, more productive and better for the responsibility, industry has requested residential development and communities environment. that the NHVR play a more active role misunderstanding the freight task and the in improving planners’ understanding of impacts of heavy vehicles. heavy vehicles. The NHVR’s role would be These decisions impact productivity, can limited to working with the Commonwealth increase the cost of goods and services for To promote awareness of planning and Government and jurisdictions to promote the community, and may affect logistics design for modern and safer vehicles, awareness of the road freight task and the operations for domestic and international the NHVR proposes to: needs of heavy vehicles. supply chains. An increased risk to safety, • partner with Austroads, the This initiative aligns with Recommendation infrastructure and amenity may eventuate Commonwealth Government, and 5.3 of the Commonwealth Government’s when the opposite effect was desired. state and territory road authorities to Inquiry into National Freight and Supply develop best practice approaches Chain Priorities Report: Resilient and reliable infrastructure and tools that improve community “Raise awareness of the importance of During the consultation process, industry acceptance and understanding of freight and the need for appropriate and government provided examples where road freight and heavy vehicles planning, development approval heavy vehicle access was refused, even • support the Commonwealth conditions, protection and regulatory within industrial areas, due to substandard Government and jurisdictional road regimes in the government sector, site and road design. Common design authorities to engage and educate particularly land use and transport deficiencies include: inadequate driveway government planning departments planners, environmental regulators and width, insufficient lot size, rear of vehicles on the productivity, safety and developers, through formal and informal protruding into oncoming traffic because environmental benefits of modern education.” of short turn-pocket space, and small heavy vehicles intersections requiring vehicles to veer onto • support the Commonwealth the wrong side of the road to make turns. Government and jurisdictional road authorities to encourage government planning department to adopt policies and update planning schemes and design standards to support modern heavy vehicles. 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
22 Appendix 1: Online webinar registrations
Road managers and local government Glenelg Shire Council Town of Gawler associations Greater Hume Council Transport for New South Wales Griffith City Council Transurban Adelaide Plains Council Hornsby Shire Council VicRoads Bass Coast Shire Council Horsham Rural City Council Wagga Wagga City Council Barunga West Council Inverell Shire Council Wattle Range Council Baw Baw Shire Council Ipswich City Council West Wimmera Shire Council Bega Valley Shire Council Kingsborough Council Whyalla City Council Boral Australia Launceston City Council Wollondilly Shire Council Brisbane City Council Leeton Shire Council Yarra Ranges Council Buloke Shire Council Light Regional Council Brimbank City Council Liverpool Plains Shire Council Industry and industry associations Cardinia Shire Council Local Government Association of Tasmania Cassowary Coast Regional Council Active Supply Chains Asia Pacific Logan City Council City of Ballarat Advance Sweepers Maitland City Council City of Burnside AHG Refrigerated Logistics Maribyrnong City Council City of Charles Sturt Bunzl Australasia Maroondah City Council City of Greater Bendigo Craig Arthur Pty Ltd Mildura Rural City Council City of Greater Dandenong Endeavour Energy Moreton Bay Regional Council City of Greater Geelong Ergon Energy Mornington Peninsula Shire Council City of Hobart Essential Energy Municipal Association of Victoria City of Latrobe Fennell Forestry Nillumbik Shire Council City of Melton Fleet Plant Hire Pty Ltd Northern Grampians Shire Council City of Mitcham Grain Growers Ltd Office of Environment and Heritage, New City of Port Adelaide Enfield Hanson Australia South Wales City of Port Phillip JMA Engineering Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd City of West Torrens Kennedy Express Pyrenees Shire Council Clarence City Council Killen Trucking Company Redland Shire Council Clarence Valley Council LINX Cargo Care Group Road and Maritime Services, New South Colac Otway Shire Council Longmuir Transport Services Wales Coolamon Shire Council McArdle Freight Rockhampton Regional Council Department of State Growth, Tasmania PepsiCo Australia & New Zealand Rural City of Wangaratta Department of Transport and Main Roads, Phoenix Transport Shire of Wellington Queensland Qube Holdings Ltd South Gippsland Shire Council Derwent Valley Council Queensland Trucking Association Surf Coast Shire Council Devonport City Council Rapid Haulage Swan Hill Rural City Council District Council of Loxton Waikerie Rocky’s Own Transport Tablelands Regional Council East Gippsland Shire Council SPC Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service Flinders Ports of South Australia Stef’s Transport Pty Ltd Tatiara District Council Gibsons Groundspread SunRice Tenterfield Shire Council Glen Eira Shire Council Toll Group Toowoomba Regional Council Transport Auditing Towong Shire Vellex Western Suburbs Concrete Other individuals (7) Other private entities (14) 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
23 Appendix 2: Pre-submission consultation register
Commonwealth, state and territory Industry and industry associations Non-jurisdictional road managers and government local government associations AgForce Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Adelaide Plains Council Cities and Regional Development, Association Albury City Council Commonwealth Australian Logistics Council Australian Local Government Association Department of Planning, Transport and Australian Trucking Association Brimbank City Council Infrastructure, South Australia Centurion Brisbane City Council Department of State Growth, Tasmania DP World Australia City of Greater Dandenong Department of Transport, Victoria Grain Growers Ltd City of Marion Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Transport and Logistics City of Port Adelaide Enfield Queensland Council District Council of Cleve Main Roads Western Australia Queensland Trucking Association District Council of Streaky Bay Regional Development Victoria Qube Holdings Ltd Forbes Shire Council Road and Maritime Services, New South Road Freight NSW Inner West Council Wales Ron Finemore Transport Kyogle Council Transport Canberra and City Services Toll Group Light Regional Council Transport for New South Wales Victorian Transport Association Local Government Association of VicRoads Queensland Other associations Victoria Cross Border Commissioner Local Government Association of South Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia Australasia Local Government Association of Tasmania Roads Australia Local Government New South Wales Transport Certification Australia Maribyrnong City Council Moree Plains Shire Council Municipal Association of Victoria Naracoorte Lucindale Council Port Augusta City Council Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd Shoalhaven City Council Walcha Council 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
24 © Freightlinx Appendix 3: Understanding heavy vehicle access under the NHVR
Understanding heavy vehicle access Road managers Access by permit Heavy vehicles provide a critical link in Road managers include road authorities, Permits are a legal instrument issued to the end-to-end supply chain process for local governments and other road owners specific operators that provide access for the movement of goods and services (e.g. ports, airports and toll road operators). certain restricted access vehicles to roads across Australia and internationally. Heavy approved by road managers. Permits may Road managers are responsible for vehicles require access to the road network contain conditions of access that must be deciding whether or not to provide consent and they can either be a general access adhered to by operators. to restricted access vehicles seeking to vehicle or a restricted access vehicle. operate on roads under their responsibility. The HVNL outlines the legal requirements Simply put, general access vehicles comply for the application, assessment and issuing The NHVR is not a road manager. Under with mass and dimension requirements of of permits and the types of conditions that the HVNL, it is unable to make an access the HVNL and have access to the full road may be applied. decision without road manager consent network unless signposted otherwise. and cannot overrule the decision of a road Permits are the preferred method of Restricted access vehicles do not comply manager. providing access for high-risk movements. with mass and dimension requirements of Permits are also the preferred method the HVNL and must only operate on roads Route assessment of providing access for low-volume under a mass or dimension authority movements, as they are also more Road managers may conduct route (e.g. a notice or permit). flexible and easier to change than notices assessments to determine whether or not to and do not need to undergo the notice Mass and dimension authorities require the issue consent. development process under the HVNL. consent of relevant road managers (i.e. the The range and complexity of restricted road owner), and typically some level of access vehicles, their mass and dimension, Access by notice assessment is conducted prior to an issue the varying condition and knowledge of consent, to ensure the movement does Notices are an instrument that provides of infrastructure, differing systems and not come at risk to public safety, public access to gazetted networks or areas processes, and the depth of experience amenity or infrastructure. approved by road managers. Notices of road managers all combine to apply to any operator and, similar to present a challenge to undertaking route Types of restricted access vehicles permits, provide access only to certain assessments and making access decisions. types of restricted access vehicles and may The HVNL currently provides for three contain conditions of access that must be classes of restricted access vehicles. The Third-party entities adhered to by operators. NHVR has developed a chart that illustrates Third-party entities are sometimes required the most common heavy vehicle types for The HVNL outlines the legal requirements by laws outside of the HVNL to provide each class as defined by the HVNL. for the development of notices and the approval or be consulted if a heavy vehicle consultation process with road managers. The chart is not a comprehensive exceeds certain mass or dimension limits. Notices require only a single initial consent representation of the Australian heavy vehicle Examples of third parties include police, by road managers that lasts for the fleet and is provided for guidance only. The toll road operators and rail infrastructure notice duration (typically five years). Road chart is located on the NHVR website. managers. managers may change their consent status or conditions of access for notices by Third-party approvals are outside the scope writing to the NHVR. of the Plan and fall under the remit of the HVNL Review or review of other laws Permit Consent Workflow outside of the HVNL.
Complete application Respond to Respond to Receive and lodge via requests for requests for notification NHVR Portal information information or permit Customer Fax and mail still available
Assessment of As per the Perform vehicle, routes HVNL, the Facilitate Review Prepare quality check and road NHVR must information responses in notification of application managers seek consents requests NHVR Portal and send (RM) from the RM 2020–2025
RM provides RM has up to 28 RM assesses if consent or days or request network is an extension if a refusal suitable for route assessment response via vehicle Road Manager is needed NHVR Portal
Figure 5: Flowchart of the NHVR permit process. Note: New South Wales and Queensland are transitioning to this model.
A road manager can be a Road Authority or a local government authority ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
25 Permit Consent Workflow
Notices are the preferred method for Complete providing access to low-risk and high- Receive application volume movements. They provide greater notification and lodge via access and certainty but are less flexible or permit NHVR Portal and more difficult to amend than permits. Customer
Access under pre-approvals
An intermediate solution between notices Review and permits is permits issued under Perform application Prepare pre-approvals. Pre-approvals are an quality check against notification agreement made between road managers of application pre-approval and send and the NHVR that are supported by an agreement initial route assessment. Operators are still required to apply for a permit but pre-approvals expedite the permit-issuing process by allowing the Receive NHVR to avoid engaging road managers to notification conduct subsequent route assessments for or permit Road Manager pre-agreed routes. The NHVR still supplies a copy of issued permits to road managers for their records and to keep them informed. FigureA road 6:manager Pre-approved can be a Road access Authority permit or a localflowchart government authority 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
26 Appendix 4: Heavy vehicle data acquisition and enrichment under the NHVR
Prior to the existence of the NHVR, there The NHVR Portal The Safety and Compliance Regulatory was limited capturing and sharing of heavy Platform The NHVR Portal was first launched to vehicle related information across borders. industry in May 2016, with road manager The SCRP provisions core regulatory and The NHVR Portal and the SCRP comprise support provided in October 2017. safety functions within the NHVR, and the main data collection and sharing enables the NHVR to securely receive and The NHVR Portal moved applications and channels between the NHVR and its store safety and compliance related data permits from a paper-based environment government and industry stakeholders. with industry and government stakeholders. to an integrated online experience, and The NHVR Portal and the SCRP form part of allowed the NHVR, industry and road The SCRP currently focuses on nationwide an advanced technology ecosystem within managers to interact on the same platform information about Australia’s heavy the NHVR. Their information warehousing for the first time. vehicle fleet (e.g. vehicle registration and is agnostic and does not limit any type of configuration), sightings and movements Over 99 per cent of applications and interfacing or integration, ensuring they (e.g. collected by real-time monitoring permits are delivered through the NHVR remain current and interoperable with cameras), and drivers and operators Portal, making it a valuable database future internal and external data sources (e.g. driver history and participation in of information on approved and refused and digital products. the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation routes for different types of restricted access Scheme). Continuing to enhance the NHVR’s digital vehicles. and data capabilities—including expanding The SCRP provides the first unique Data from over 150,000 applications the functionality of the NHVR Portal and national picture of the heavy vehicle fleet, by industry has been captured since SCRP to give users broader and open compliance and assurance information, implementation of the Customer Module in access to unique information collected by and will deliver national visibility of heavy May 2016. the NHVR, and developing complex tooling vehicle movements across Australia. with analytics capabilities—is a key element The NHVR will continue to invest in the of the Plan, to deliver improvements to SCRP to grow its intelligence and expand access and productivity. the program to include data on road accidents, traffic volumes and congestion. The NHVR will continue to invest in enhancing the NHVR Portal and the SCRP, developing other complementary front- and back-end systems and data acquisition and enrichment programs as required to advance its regulatory capability as a modern regulator. 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
27 Appendix 5: The Performance Based Standards scheme
First introduced in 2007, the PBS scheme is Table 4: Approved PBS levels and their There have been more than 18,000 a world-leading program providing industry equivalently performing prescriptive vehicles separate PBS approvals (trucks, trailers with the opportunity to innovate vehicle Approved Equivalent prescriptive vehicle and buses), which together make up design to improve productivity by 15–30 PBS Level more than 9,000 PBS combinations. In per cent. The PBS scheme is voluntary and 2017, approximately one in six new heavy PBS Level 1 Similar to general access vehicle complements the prescriptive regulatory vehicles was PBS approved. In 2018, this system for heavy vehicles. PBS Level 2 Similar to 26m B-double increased to approximately one in five. PBS Level 3 Similar to Type 1 Road train PBS vehicles are designed and built Growth in the use of PBS vehicles on roads to perform their tasks as safely and PBS Level 4 Similar to Type 2 Road train has resulted in significant productivity, sustainably as possible. They are assessed safety and sustainability benefits for Originally administered by the NTC and against 16 vehicle performance and four industry and the community. From 2007 to managed by the NHVR since 2013, it infrastructure protection standards to ensure November 2019, compared to the vehicles provided an economic value of $185 they are safe (Figure 7). Every vehicle is that would have been otherwise required million to $326 million during 2014–2019. 1 assessed against these standards by an to complete the same task, the PBS scheme The future economic value is projected authorised PBS Assessor via a computer has benefited Australia by: to be $800 million to $1.5 billion from simulation, or physical testing. 2014–2030. 2 • reducing CO₂ emissions by over Depending on the assessment results, a 2.2 billion kiograms vehicle can be assigned one of four PBS • reducing fuel consumption by over levels (Table 4). 800 million litres • removing 2,700 trucks from the road • reducing truck distance travelled by over 1.6 billion kilometres • reducing major crashes per kilometre by 46%. 3 2020–2025
1 Chow, M., Kleyer, H. and McLeod, B., 2019, Economic benefits of heavy vehicle regulatory reform, HoustonKemp Economists 2 Ibid
Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle 3 Austroads, 2014, Quantifying the benefits of Australian High Productivity Vehicles
28 Figure 7: PBS vehicle performance and infrastructure protection standards 2020–2025 Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
29 1,000,000 km saving 000 00 1,618
5 000 500
2 000 1,243 200 2 000 00 2 252
2 000 00 5 5 000 2 5 00 20 0 0 20 2 0 0 70 73 252 324 450 575 894 914 1401 1405 1749 1648 The factor and methodology from the Austroads Research Report AP-R465-14 (Quantifying the Benefits of High Productivity Vehicles) has been used with the number for approved PBS combination to quantify the benefits achieved from PBS.
Figure 8: Productivity and congestion benefits of PBS vehicles (2007 to November 2019)
Combination 1,000,000 km numbers saving 15000 2,400 PBS combinations 2,203 2,100 12500 Estimated fuel (1,000,000 lts) saved
Estimated CO (1,000,000kg) saved 1,800 1,694 10000 9755 Estimated cumulative fuel (1,000,000 lts) saved 1,239 1,500 8107 Estimated cumulative CO (1,000,000kg) saved 880 7500 1,200 6358
822 900 5000 4953 632 3552 509 600 456 359 2500 282 203 190 300 153 134 170 101 105 38 57 76 0 0 PBS combinations 70 73 252 324 450 575 894 914 1401 1405 1749 1648 added
2020–2025 1. The factor and methodology from the Austroads Research Report AP-R465-14 (Quantifying the Benefits of High Productivity Vehicles) has been used with the number for approved PBS combination to quantify the benefits achieved from PBS. 2. Rated fuel burn used from ATA - TAPs - Truck Impact Chart September 2016. 3. Diesel to CO₂ conversion rate of 2.68kg per litre used.
Figure 9: Environmental benefits of PBS vehicles (2007 to November 2019) Draft Heavy Vehicle ProductivityDraft Heavy Plan Vehicle
30
For further information about the NHVR’s activities, functions and services, please visit our website or contact us via:
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator PO Box 492 Fortitude Valley Qld 4006
P 1300 MYNHVR (1300 696 487) E [email protected] www.nhvr.gov.au
Photo credits: CNH Industrial, Freightlinx, Gavin Blue, Jonathan Wood, PACCAR Australia and Volvo Group Australia.
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