Which Way To Go

Transport law, news & explainers

Independent Australian transport journalism and plain-English reference guides built from primary sources.

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  • What is the Unfit to Drive duty?

    A person must not drive a heavy vehicle on a road while impaired by fatigue or otherwise not of sufficiently good health or fitness to drive it safely.

  • When do the heavy-vehicle fatigue rules apply?

    The HVNL work, rest and fatigue-record rules apply when a person drives a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle: generally a vehicle or combination above 12 tonnes, or a qualifying heavy bus.

  • Does the Heavy Vehicle National Law apply in Western Australia?

    No. The HVNL does not govern a journey while it is wholly within Western Australia, but WA has its own CoR, fatigue and heavy-vehicle laws, and a WA or NT business can…

  • What is a terminal access charge?

    A Terminal Access Charge is a fixed landside charge imposed by a container stevedore for a truck or rail operator’s access to terminal services; it is separate from the Vehicle Booking System…

  • What is Performance Based Standards?

    Performance Based Standards is an approval system in which an innovative heavy-vehicle design must obtain design approval, be built and certified for vehicle approval, and then obtain lawful road access through a…

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • What is general access for a heavy vehicle?

    A general-access heavy vehicle may use the road network available to general-access vehicles without an individual access permit or notice, provided the vehicle and combination comply with all prescribed mass and dimension…

  • Who regulates trucking in Australia?

    Australian trucking is regulated by a network of national, state and territory bodies covering heavy-vehicle law, roads and access, licensing and registration, policing, workplace safety, environment and local-road management.