While Victoria moves on axle mass limit increases necessary to drive freight industry decarbonisation, HVIA says there’s a need for national consistency across the scope, details, and administration of various state-based schemes
Victoria recently became the latest state to increase axle mass limits for the next generation of low- and zero-emissions heavy vehicles.
This follows previous announcements of trials of higher mass limits for zero-emissions vehicles in New South Wales and South Australia.
Preliminary details of the Victorian scheme were released during a ‘Freight Industry Decarbonisation Summit’ held recently by Freight Victoria in Melbourne.
While the scheme was touted by Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne as “forging a path to drive energy transition in the freight sector”, ROADBOSS understands the Department of Transport has only granted Volvo Group Australia a three-year period permit to operate a battery electric prime mover and semi-trailer combination with a steer axle load of up to 7.5 tonnes on a network of state-owned roads.
Other OEM’s will be required to go through a similar approvals process to obtain permits for their vehicles – and cover the cost of assessments.
Indeed, in making the announcement Horne noted that the department plans to develop access maps to “reduce the need for structural assessments on a permit-by-permit basis for operators of approved vehicles – saving time, cutting red tape and cost burdens on the heavy vehicle industry”.
“The first map centres … on a new Volvo electric semi-trailer, allowing the manufacturer to start offering this combination for use on the approved network by local operators to super-charge a shift towards more sustainable heavy vehicles.
HVIA believes that industry should not have to pay to conduct assessments of government-owned assets.
“The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has commenced developing a Future Heavy Vehicle Roadmap to provide a blueprint so the Australian heavy vehicle industry can further plan.”
HVIA Chief technical Officer Adam Ritzinger says that while the organisation welcomes increased axle load limits for low- and zero-emissions heavy vehicles, there’s an “urgent need for national consistency across the scope, details, and administration of the separate state-based schemes”.
He points out several “crucial” differences have emerged across the recent announcements, including: varying applicability to vehicle and combination types; varying axle mass and gross mass limits; varying equipment and administrative requirements; and varying funding mechanisms for access.
“The last point is particularly crucial. It is understood South Australia and New South Wales have not sought to reclaim the costs of conducting the necessary structural assessments directly from industry for participation in their higher axle mass limits trials,” he says.
“In contrast, the Victorian Department of Transport seeks to directly charge applicants for the costs of those assessments as part of the application process.
“HVIA believes that industry should not have to pay to conduct assessments of government-owned assets.
“Additionally, HVIA is fearful that this approach will likely lead to the proliferation of a range of unique networks that are highly specific to each applicant.”
On a positive note, Ritzinger notes the Victorian increased mass limits are not offered as a trial but are instead a permanent increase.
Permanent increases offer far greater certainty in terms of access for the industry.
“This approach differs from the SA and NSW schemes, which are both short-term trials. Permanent increases offer far greater certainty in terms of access for the industry,” he says.
This view is shared by Volvo Group Australia President, Martin Merrick, whose company recently set a record for the longest electric truck journey in Australia, driving a Volvo FH Electric a record-breaking 1,185 kilometres from Brisbane to Canberra.
“Recently announced provisional changes to front-axle weight restrictions have enabled this journey and have shown what is possible in terms of zero-emission intercity transportation, but we need to see permanent changes harmonised on front-axle weight restrictions across every state and territory to accelerate next-generation sustainable mobility and meet our climate targets,” he says.
Nonetheless, Ritzinger says these differences place industry in a difficult position, having to simultaneously manage complex requirements that differ across state borders.
“HVIA has always advocated strongly for national consistency in a way that is fair and equitable to all parties, and the underlying reasons why are evident when reviewing the current state of the recent announcements,” he says.
Feedback from the Victorian Department is that any industry body wishing to engage with them to develop a suitable network should contact them via heavyvehicles@transport.vic.gov.au.
