Contents

Objective of the Rule

Extent of consultation

Section 1     Application

• 1.1     Title
• 1.2     Commencement
• 1.3     Scope of Rule

Section 2     Amendments to Rule requirements

• 2.1     General requirements for all vehicles
• 2.2     General requirements for dimensions and mass limits
• 2.3     Specialist overdimension vehicles
• 2.4     General operating requirements for overdimension vehicles
• 2.5     Hazard warning panels
• 2.6     Piloting of overdimension vehicles and overdimension loads
• 2.7     Functions of the Agency

Section 3     Amendment to Definitions

• 3.1     Amendment to definitions

Section 4     Amendment to Schedules

• 4.1     Amendment to Schedule 4

Objective of the Rule

Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2013 (the amendment Rule) amends Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002 (the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule). The Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule specifies requirements for dimension and mass limits for vehicles operating on New Zealand roads.

The objective of the amendment Rule, and of amendments to seven other Land Transport Rules, is to ensure that legislation that affects the primary production sector is fit for purpose and does not impose unnecessary costs or restrictions, including on the ability of the sector to manage critical operations where time or the weather is a limiting factor.

This amendment Rule:

• provides for an increase, from three to four metres, in the permitted length of a vehicle’s front overhang to reflect the increased length of tractors in the fleet;
• clarifies the requirements relating to the need to remove forks and other equipment fitted to the front of an agricultural motor vehicle before it can be operated on road;
• updates terminology in the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule to reflect the changes in the definition of agricultural vehicles;
• clarifies that, for maximum visibility, a hazard panel displayed on a vehicle must be attached as close as practicable to the outside edge of the vehicle;
• allows flexibility in how hazard panels are displayed on a vehicle by providing for an alternative configuration to that in the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule, and for the approval of variations to the hazard panel configurations set out in the Rule;
• provides for parts of an agricultural motor vehicle (including any attachments or implements) that extend beyond the vehicle’s maximum front overhang to be painted in high visibility paint as an alternative to displaying a hazard warning panel;
• relaxes the requirements for each vehicle travelling in a convoy of up to three agricultural motor vehicles to be accompanied by pilot vehicles.

Extent of consultation

For the purposes of consultation, proposed amendments to Land Transport Rules applying to vehicles used for agricultural purposes were combined into a single Rule, Land Transport Rule: Agricultural Vehicles Omnibus 2012 (the Omnibus Rule). The Rule amendment proposals arose out of a review of agricultural transport legislation in 2012 involving government agencies, key transport and agriculture industry stakeholders and the public.

On 19 October 2012, the NZ Transport Agency sent details of the amendment proposals by letter or email to approximately 2300 groups and individuals who had registered an interest in the Rules to be amended. The Omnibus Rule was made available through the NZ Transport Agency’s Contact Centre and, together with Questions and Answers, was also available on the NZ Transport Agency’s website. The availability of the amendment proposals for comment was publicised in the daily newspapers in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin and in the New Zealand Gazette.

The NZ Transport Agency received 29 submissions on the Omnibus Rule, of which 24 commented on the proposed amendments to the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule.

Following consultation, the provisions in the Omnibus Rule were split into separate amendment Rules, including this Rule. The submissions that were received were taken into account in finalising this Rule before it was submitted to the Associate Minister of Transport for signing.

Section 1     Application

1.1     Title

This Rule is Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2013.

1.2     Commencement

This Rule comes into force on 1 June 2013.

1.3     Scope of Rule

This Rule amends Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002.

Section 2     Amendments to Rule requirements

2.1     General requirements for all vehicles

In clause 2.1(4)(b), replace “the dimensions in Figure 1 in Schedule 4” with “6.10(1)”.

2.2     General requirements for dimension and mass limits

In Table 4.1, the item relating to ‘Front overhang’, after the row relating to ‘Pole trailer’, insert:

“Agricultural motor vehicle

4.0”

2.3     Specialist overdimension vehicles

2.3(1)     In clause 6.3(1)(b), replace “equipment.” with “equipment; or”.

2.3(2)     After clause 6.3(1)(b), insert:

• “(c)     the vehicle is an agricultural motor vehicle and the operator ensures that the vehicle complies with the general safety requirements in clause 2.2 of Land Transport Rule: External Projections 2001.”.

2.4     General operating requirements for overdimension vehicles

2.4(1)     In clause 6.6(11)(a)(i) and (ii), replace “approved” with “appointed”.

2.4(2)     Replace clause 6.6(11)(b) with:

• “(b)     the vehicle is an agricultural motor vehicle”.

2.5     Hazard warning panels

2.5(1)     In clause 6.10(1), after “Unless 6.10(3)”, insert “or 6.10(4)”.

2.5(2)     In clause 6.10(1)(a)(i), after “rear,” insert “as close as practicable to the outside edge”.

2.5(3)     In clause 6.10(1)(d), after “Figure 1”, insert “or Figure 1A”.

2.5(4)     After clause 6.10(1), insert:

• “6.10(1A)     Unless 6.10(1B) applies, an overdimension motor vehicle that is required in Table 6.1 to display hazard warning panels must display panels that comply with the minimum dimensions specified in:
  • “(a)     Figure 1 in Schedule 4; or
  • “(b)     Figure 1A in Schedule 4 if:
    • “(i)     the design of the vehicle, or the configuration of the load, or the dimensions of the hazard panel make fitting the panels in Figure 1 impractical; or
    • “(ii)     more effective warning would be achieved by using a hazard panel with the minimum dimensions specified in Figure 1A.
• “6.10(1B)     A motor vehicle that is required in Table 6.1 to display hazard warning panels may, instead of displaying the hazard warning panels specified in 6.10(1), display alternative hazard warning panels that are described in a notice published by the Agency under 8.5(m) provided that any conditions in the notice are complied with.
• “6.10(1C)     The Agency may approve an alternative hazard panel that varies from the panels specified in 6.10(1), for use on a vehicle if:
  • “(a)     the alternative hazard panel is at least 1200 square mm in size; and
  • “(b)     the alternative hazard panel will provide as effective or better warning to approaching vehicles as the panels specified in 6.10(1); and
  • “(c)     a notice is published on the Agency’s web site that describes the alternative hazard panel design and:
    • “(i)     the vehicles on which the alternative hazard warning panel may be used; or
    • “(ii)     the circumstances or conditions under which the alternative hazard panel may be used.”.

2.5(5)     After clause 6.10(3), insert:

• “6.10(4)     Instead of displaying a hazard warning panel in compliance with 6.10(1)(a)(ii), parts of an agricultural motor vehicle, including attachments or implements, that extend beyond the maximum front overhang of the vehicle may be painted with high visibility paint.”.

2.6     Piloting of overdimension vehicles and overdimension loads

After clause 7.1(8), insert:

• “7.1(9)     For the purposes of complying with 7.1(1), an adequate number of pilot vehicles for each vehicle in a convoy of up to three agricultural motor vehicles that are travelling in company and all have dimensions within Category 1 or Category 2 in Table 6.1, is one pilot vehicle at the front of the convoy and one pilot vehicle at the rear of the convoy.”.

2.7     Functions of the Agency

In clause 8.5, after paragraph (l), insert:

• “(m)     approve a hazard panel configuration for the purposes of 6.10(1C);”.

Section 3     Amendment to Definitions

3.1     Amendment to definitions

In Part 2 Definitions, insert in the appropriate alphabetical places:

• “Agricultural motor vehicle
  • “(a)     means a motor vehicle that is designed, constructed, or adapted for agricultural purposes; and
  • “(b)     includes:
    • “(i)     an agricultural trailer; and
    • “(ii)     an agricultural tractor; but
  • “(c)     does not include any vehicle that is:
    • “(i)     of a class specified in Table A of Part 2 of Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002; and
    • “(ii)     designed or constructed for general road use”.
• “Agricultural purpose
  • “(a)     includes:
    • “(i)     land cultivation;
    • “(ii)     growing and harvesting crops (including horticulture and viticulture);
    • “(iii)     rearing livestock;
    • “(iv)     any land management operation undertaken in connection with:
      • “(A)     the operation or management of a farm; or
      • “(B)     a purpose described in subparagraphs (i) to (iii); but
  • “(b)     does not include forestry, or any land management operation not referred to in paragraph (a)(iv)”.
• “Agricultural tractor means a vehicle that is designed and constructed principally for the purposes of:
  • “(a)     towing an agricultural trailer; or
  • “(b)     drawing, or powering, an implement ordinarily used for an agricultural purpose”.
• “Agricultural trailer
  • “(a)     means a trailer that is used principally for agricultural purposes; and
  • “(b)     includes a wheeled agricultural implement, the wheels of which are in contact with the road when the implement is being towed; but
  • “(c)     does not include:
    • “(i)     a trailer that is:
      • “(A)     designed principally for the carriage of goods; and
      • “(B)     operated at a speed exceeding 40 km/h; or
    • “(ii)     a logging trailer”.

Section 4     Amendment to Schedules

4.1     Amendment to Schedule 4

In Part 3 Schedules, Schedule 4, after Figure 1, insert the following figure:

Figure 1A Minimum dimensions of alternative hazard panel