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Will a 20-metre truck make you more money?
The extra metre and the shift from concessional to general mass limits can remove a costly compromise. But the winner between prescriptive 20 metres, higher mass and PBS depends on what the freight task is paying for.
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What is an axle group and how do axle-spacing limits work?
An axle group is a legally defined set of closely spaced axles, and a heavy vehicle must comply with both the limit for each axle or group and the separate gross-mass limit produced by its axle spacings.
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What do GVM, GCM, ATM and GTM mean?
GVM, GCM, ATM and GTM are maximum manufacturer or registration mass ratings for a vehicle, combination or trailer; they are ceilings, not the vehicle’s actual scale weight or an automatic legal loading entitlement.
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What is load restraint and who is responsible?
A heavy-vehicle load must be placed and restrained so the vehicle remains stable and the load is unlikely to fall or move, with responsibility extending to every party whose transport activities influence the loading risk.
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Which heavy vehicles can operate at 20 metres?
From 1 August 2026, eligible prime-mover/semitrailer and rigid-truck/trailer combinations can operate at up to 20.0 metres under general access only when every prescribed braking, trailer, dimension, mass and route condition is satisfied.
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What are General Mass Limits?
General Mass Limits are the default axle-group and gross-mass limits for heavy vehicles unless a lawful exception, exemption, notice, permit, HML entitlement or PBS approval applies.
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What are Higher Mass Limits?
Higher Mass Limits allow eligible vehicles with road-friendly suspension and the required mass accreditation to carry higher axle-group masses on an approved HML route or area.