The Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule (2002) has had many amendments since it was first established so it was timely to review and refresh it to ensure New Zealand’s heavy vehicle requirements continue to be met. Freight and passenger levels are expected to increase significantly in the next 20 years, and it’s important that the NZ Transport Agency is working with you now to prepare for this increase.
The draft VDAM Rule has been rewritten to make it easier to understand, with several changes that are designed to enable heavy vehicles to carry more in fewer trips. The main benefits of the proposed changes are:
- Further enable “more freight on fewer trips” by better utilising the existing size and weight envelope available to heavy vehicles.
- Support easier take up of safety, emission and electric vehicle technologies by providing access to a wider range of vehicle suppliers that build to dimension and mass limits accepted in other jurisdictions.
- Allow road controlling authorities (RCAs) greater flexibility in permitting and also standardise the treatment of loads under permit to reduce compliance costs.
- Further increase compliance incentives by reducing weighing tolerance thresholds and increasing distance able to redirect a vehicle for weighing purposes.
- Provide for more effective planning in the safe movement of the largest overdimension loads.
Your feedback is important to us and we’d like to hear your thoughts on the draft Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule (2016).
Submissions are open until 5pm, Friday 12 August 2016.
A copy of the draft Rule, along with an overview, supporting documents, and information on how to make a submission is available on our website.
If you have any questions please contact the review team at VDAM_reform@nzta.govt.nz