Which Way To Go

Transport law, news & explainers

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

Tier 2

  • What is a heavy-vehicle defect notice?

    A heavy-vehicle defect notice is an enforcement notice identifying a vehicle defect and the restrictions, repair and clearance steps required before unrestricted use can resume.

  • Who is a road manager and when is consent required?

    A road manager is the public authority responsible for a road, and its consent is generally required before the NHVR can add restricted-access authority for that road to a notice or permit.

  • What are Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 heavy vehicles?

    The HVNL access classes describe why a heavy vehicle needs restricted access: Class 1 covers specified special-purpose, agricultural and large-indivisible-load vehicles, Class 2 covers prescribed configurations, and Class 3 captures other mass or dimension exceptions.

  • What is an oversize overmass vehicle?

    An oversize or overmass movement exceeds an applicable dimension or mass requirement and needs a lawful exemption, route and conditions before the vehicle can travel on a road.

  • 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.

  • How do Electronic Work Diaries (EWDs) work under the HVNL?

    An Electronic Work Diary is an NHVR-approved electronic system that a driver can choose to use instead of a written work diary to record required work and rest information.

  • What is the difference between a notice, permit and pre-approval?

    A notice authorises an eligible class of vehicles on stated networks, a permit authorises a specific application, and a road-manager pre-approval only streamlines later permit decisions—it is not authority for an operator to travel.

  • What is ACA–Fatigue?

    ACA–Fatigue is the HVA alternative compliance pathway for operators that need approved work and rest hours different from Standard Hours and can demonstrate effective fatigue-risk controls through an audited system.

  • How do Standard Hours and 24-hour counting periods work?

    Under Standard Hours, a solo driver must satisfy every applicable short and long counting period, including no more than 12 hours work and at least seven continuous hours stationary rest in any applicable 24-hour period.

  • When is a National Driver Work Diary required?

    A fatigue-regulated heavy-vehicle driver generally must keep and carry a work diary when undertaking 100+km work under Standard Hours, having done so in the previous 28 days, or working under alternative compliance or exemption hours.