Motor Vehicles (Standards) Regulations 2003

These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Standards)

Regulations 2003.

These Regulations come into operation on the date fixed by the

Minister by notice in the Gazette.

These Regulations do not apply to a nonconforming vehicle within the meaning of Part 5A of the Act.

In these Regulations:

axle spacing means the distance between the centre of an axle of an axle group of a vehicle or vehicle combination and the centre of any other axle of the axle group.

hauling unit, in relation to a vehicle combination, means the rigid motor vehicle or prime mover towing the other vehicles of the vehicle combination.

inspection label, in relation to a vehicle, means a label, issued by the Registrar or an approved person, specifying the

GVM or GCM of the vehicle (or other approved particulars in relation to the vehicle) and affixed to the vehicle in the approved manner.

manufacturer's gross axle load limit, in relation to an axle group, means the load recommended by the manufacturer of the axle group, by specification or otherwise, as being the maximum load at which that axle group should be operated.

manufacturer's maximum rim load, in relation to the rim of a wheel, means the load recommended by the manufacturer of that rim, by specification or otherwise, as the maximum load at which that rim should be operated.

manufacturer's maximum tyre load, in relation to a tyre, means the load recommended by the manufacturer of the tyre, by specification or otherwise, as the maximum load at which that tyre should be operated.

night means the period between sunset on one day and sunrise on the next day.

non-reactive load sharing suspension system, in relation to a vehicle, means a load sharing suspension system of an axle group of the vehicle in which there is no transfer of vertical loading from one axle of the axle group to another axle of that axle group when the vehicle's brakes are applied.

overall axle spacing means:

in relation to a rigid motor vehicle, articulated vehicle or component vehicle of a vehicle combination – the distance between the centre of the foremost axle and the centre of the rearmost axle of the rigid motor vehicle, articulated vehicle or component vehicle;

and

in relation to axle groups which are adjacent to each other when any 2 component vehicles of a vehicle combination, including a rigid motor vehicle or an articulated vehicle, are coupled together – the distance between the centre of the foremost axle of the rearmost axle group of the leading vehicle and the centre of the rearmost axle of the foremost axle group of the trailing vehicle.

D

iagram depicting overall axle spacing

pig trailer means a trailer with one axle group or single axle near the middle of its load-carrying surface, and connected to the towing vehicle by a drawbar.

D

iagram depicting a typical pig trailer

public place means any part (other than a road) of a park, reserve, parking area, recreational or sporting ground, racecourse, drive-in theatre, beach or any other open place, that is open to or used by the public, whether with or without payment for admission, but does not include the track within an enclosed ground used for vehicle or animal speed races or trials.

road friendly suspension means a suspension system approved by the Registrar or another registration authority, or certified as such by the manufacturer, in relation to which:

during free transient low frequency vertical oscillation of the sprung mass above an axle or axle group, the measured frequency and damping with the suspension carrying its maximum legal load fall within the following limits:

the frequency of the sprung mass above the axle or axle group in free transient vertical oscillation is not higher than 2.0Hz;

the mean damping ratio is more than 20% of the critical damping for the suspension in its normal operating condition;

where dampers have been fitted, the damping ratio of the suspension with all dampers removed or incapacitated is not more than

50% of the mean damping ratio;

in respect of a multiple axle group fitted to a vehicle, the static load share between axles in the axle group is less than 5%;

and

each axle is fitted with dual tyres, except in respect of a

6-tyred tandem axle group in which case one axle in the axle group may have single tyres fitted.

single-pivot load sharing suspension system, in relation to a tandem axle group, means a load sharing suspension system of the tandem axle group, designed to allow the springing medium of the 2 axles of that tandem axle group to pivot about a common centre of rotation.

specification includes an identification device, vehicle data plate, catalogue, handbook or other written matter issued by or on behalf of a manufacturer in respect of a vehicle or a component of a vehicle, or plant, machinery or equipment, manufactured by the manufacturer.

steer axle means an axle or axle group connected to the steering mechanism of a motor vehicle and capable of being used by the driver to direct the course of that motor vehicle.

steerable axle means an axle or axle group fitted to a vehicle, but not connected to the steering mechanism of the vehicle, by means of which the course of that vehicle may be altered.

these Regulations include the Australian Vehicle

Standards Rules contained in Schedule 6.

tyre section width means the nominal linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewalls of an inflated pneumatic tyre.

urban route means a route within a motor omnibus urban route service area declared by notice under section 47 of the

Commercial Passenger (Road) Transport Act 1991.

Unless the contrary intention appears, if a word or expression that is used in a regulation is defined for the purposes of the

Australian Vehicle Standards Rules, the word or expression has the same meaning in the regulation as it has in the Australian

Vehicle Standards Rules.

However, subregulation (2) does not apply in relation to a word or expression that is defined in this regulation or section 5(1) of the Act.

Unless the contrary intention appears, a reference in a regulation to a rule and a number is a reference to the rule of that number in the Australian Vehicle Standards Rules.

In these Regulations:

the expression mass carried on a tyre or similar expression means the total mass transmitted to the road by the tyre, including the mass of the tyre; and

the expression mass carried on an axle or mass carried on an axle group or similar expression (whether by reference to a single axle, a tandem axle group, a triaxle group, a twin‑steer axle group, or one axle of an axle group), means the total mass transmitted to the road by the wheels attached to the axle or the axle group, including the mass of any wheels, tyres and other attachments or fittings attached or fitted to the axle or axles.

For section 5A(2)(h) of the Act, all provisions of these Regulations are excluded provisions.

Part 2 Motor vehicles standards

Division 1 Mass limits of vehicles

The mass carried on a wheel is not to exceed the limit set by its manufacturer.

If a bus is of a class known as an ultra low floor 2-axle route bus and is operating on an urban route, the limit of 11 tonnes is substituted for that specified in Schedule 1 in respect of a single axle fitted with dual wheels, provided that the GVM does not exceed 16 tonnes.

If a bus is constructed to comply with third edition ADR 68, 59 and 44 and is fitted with road friendly suspension:

the limit of 6.5 tonnes for a steer axle may be substituted for the limit specified by Schedule 1; and

the limit specified in Schedule 1 for any other axle or axle group is increased by 1 tonne,

provided that, if the bus is fitted with a tandem axle group, the bus is permitted under a law of a State or another Territory of the

Commonwealth to carry the maximum mass that would be permitted under this regulation.

If an axle group includes a retractable axle, the retractable axle is to be ignored for the purposes of determining from Schedule 1 the mass limit that applies to the axle group unless the tyres of the retractable axle are on the ground and the load sharing suspension system is operating on each axle (including the retractable axle) and tyre in the group when:

if the axle group is a tandem axle group – the mass on the group exceeds 6 tonnes; and

if the axle group is a triaxle group – the mass on the group exceeds 11 tonnes.

Division 2 Limits to laden mass