Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2010

The Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002 specifies requirements for dimension and mass limits for vehicles operating on New Zealand roads. The rule sets in place a regulatory regime so that vehicles, in particular, heavy truck and trailer combinations, are operated safely.

The amendment Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2010 makes changes to the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002 to allow:

• a permit regime for road controlling authorities to issue permits for high productivity vehicles, up to 20 metres in length, to operate above 44 tonnes on specified routes. This category will represent the majority of permits.
• some increases in vehicle lengths to allow certain vehicles to operate without the need to obtain a permit (eg logging trucks that already operate at 22 metres overall length).
• for longer high productivity vehicles there will be an additional approval required from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA). These permits would be for specific tasks and would be the exception, rather than the rule. This will allow road controlling authorities to issue permits for vehicles that exceed 20 metres in length. Any vehicle over 53 tonnes will fall into this category.

The amendment Rule also contains some other changes:

• Overall length allowed for certain types of ‘rigid bus’ to reflect the dimensions currently permitted for some buses under exemptions has been extended (ie from 12.6m allowable length to 13.5m).
• Allows buses to be fitted with bicycle racks which may project beyond the overall allowed length or dimension of the vehicle.
• Exempts certain over dimension farm vehicles from the need to comply with travel time restrictions in the Rule if they are able to travel without taking up more room than the lane they are using (ie moving into other lane).

The Rule came into effect on 1 May 2010.

Monitoring and Evaluation Review of the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule

Good progress is being made implementing the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule to the benefit of the economy.

The NZ Transport Agency and the Ministry of Transport conducted an independent monitoring evaluation and review to look at how well the implementation has gone since the Vehicle Dimension and Mass (VDM) Rule came into effect on 1 May 2010.

The review determines if the forecasted results have been achieved including the economic benefits and the issues expressed by the road transport industry and local government, and the effects of HPMVs on infrastructure.

The report on Rule implementation progress and other information can be read on the NZTA website. 

Why has the Rule been amended?

The Rule has been amended to assist with the government's objectives to boost jobs and economic security by increasing productivity and growth in the New Zealand economy.

New Zealand’s freight task is forecast to increase by 70 to 75 percent over the next 25 years (NZ Freight Study 2008). While all transport modes will carry their share, the nature of freight means that a lot of it will be carried by road.

There are significant productivity gains to be realised by allowing heavy vehicles to operate outside the current mass and dimension limits by using fewer trucks to carry the same amount of freight without reducing the safety of road users.

The permit system for vehicles operating between 44 and 53 tonnes will encourage operators to identify areas where there could be significant productivity benefits through matching freight task, vehicle capability and infrastructure capability. A permit system will also enable the impacts of heavier vehicles to be properly managed.

If the current mass and dimension limits remain as they are the increase in freight movements will adversely impact on New Zealand’s roading network through increased truck movements and congestion, increased fuel use, and reduced international competitiveness as a result of not being able to increase efficiency.

Benefits of the Rule amendment

Improved heavy vehicle productivity under the right conditions will enable a given amount of freight to be carried on fewer trucks. This will help to improve road safety while reducing road congestion, operating costs, and vehicle emissions.

The permit system for vehicles operating between 44 and 53 tonnes will encourage operators to identify areas where there could be significant productivity benefits through matching freight task, vehicle capability and infrastructure capability. A permit system will also enable the impacts of heavier vehicles to be properly managed.

Further, a report commissioned in 2007 by the Ministry of Transport and Transit New Zealand (now part of the NZ Transport Agency) and trials carried out by the Ministry of Transport in 2008 and 2009 found that under the right conditions there could be:

• an increase in productivity of 10-20 percent
• a decrease in fuel use of up to 20 percent
• a decrease in the number of trips of up to 20 percent.

Next steps

Permit applications for overweight permits will be considered by road controlling authorities - local authorities for local roads and the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) for State highways while over-dimension permits will be approved by the NZTA or agents appointed by the NZTA.
Road controlling authorities will have the final say on whether roads/routes are suitable for heavier vehicles within their jurisdiction.

• Read Questions and Answers on the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2010
• Read the Minister's media release on the beehive website
• Find out more about overweight and overdimension vehicles on the NZ Transport Agency website
• Read the Rule amendment on the NZ Transport Agency website
• View the Regulatory Impact Statement on the Rule amendment
• Find out about the Heavy Vehicle Productivity Project