National Transport Commission (Road Transport Legislation – Road Transport Charges Act) Regulations 2006
Part 1Interpretation
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articulated bus means a bus consisting of more than one rigid section with passenger access between the sections and the sections connected to one another so as to allow rotary movement between the sections;
axle means one or more shafts positioned in a line across a vehicle, on which one or more wheels intended to support the vehicle turn.
axle group means a single axle group, tandem axle group, twinsteer axle group, tri‑axle group or quad‑axle group.
bus means a motor vehicle, built mainly to carry people, that seats more than 9 adults (including the driver).
bus (type 1) means a rigid bus that has 2 axles and an MRC not exceeding 12 tonnes;
bus (type 2) means:
(a) a rigid bus that has 2 axles and an MRC exceeding 12 tonnes; or
(b) a rigid bus that has 3 axles or 4 axles.
compliance plate means a plate authorised to be placed on a vehicle, or taken to have been placed on a vehicle, under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989;
converter dolly means a trailer, with one axle group or single axle and a fifth wheel coupling, designed to convert a semi trailer into a dog trailer.
dog trailer means a trailer (including a trailer consisting of a semi trailer and converter dolly) with:
(a) one axle group or single axle at the front that is steered by connection to the towing vehicle by a drawbar; and
(b) one axle group or single axle at the rear.
drawbar means a part of a trailer (other than a semi trailer) that connects the trailer body to a coupling for towing purposes.
driver means the person driving or in control of a motor vehicle.
fifth wheel coupling means a device, other than the upper rotating element and the kingpin (which are parts of a semi trailer), used with a prime mover, semi trailer or a converter dolly to permit quick coupling and uncoupling and to provide for articulation.
indivisible load means a load comprising one item or a number of similar items that cannot, without disproportionate effort, expense or risk of damage, be divided into 2 or more smaller loads for the purpose of transport;
Division Part 1 - National Transport Commission (Road Transport Legislation – Road Transport Charges Act) Regulations 2006 - Interpretation | Zoe
load carrying trailer means a trailer that is carrying a load or that is built to carry a load.
load carrying vehicle means a vehicle designed and constructed to haul or carry goods and wares in addition to any fuel, water, lubricants, tools and any other equipment or accessories necessary for normal operation of the vehicle;
loaded mass, in relation to a vehicle, means the sum of the mass of the vehicle and the mass of the load on the vehicle that is imposed on the surface on which the vehicle is standing or running;
long combination prime mover means a prime mover nominated to haul 2 or more trailers, but does not include a medium combination prime mover.
long combination truck means a truck nominated to haul 2 or more trailers;
low loader means a gooseneck semi trailer with a loading deck no more than 1 metre above the ground.
low loader dolly means a mass‑distributing device that:
(a) is usually coupled between a prime mover and low loader; and
(b) consists of a gooseneck rigid frame; and
(c) does not directly carry any load on itself; and
(d) is equipped with one or more axles, a kingpin and a fifth wheel coupling.
medium combination prime mover means a prime mover nominated to haul 2 semi trailers where the second semi trailer is mounted on the rear of the semi trailer being hauled by the prime mover (a B‑double);
medium combination truck means a truck, other than a short combination truck, nominated to haul one trailer.
MRC (Mass Rating for Charging), in relation to a vehicle, means:
(a) the maximum mass of the vehicle, including any load, recorded on the compliance plate as the GVM, GTMR or ATM of the vehicle; or
(b) in relation to a vehicle for which there is no compliance plate‑its operating mass;
nominated means nominated by the person applying for registration;
operating mass, in relation to a vehicle, means the maximum mass of the vehicle, including any load, as determined by the Registration Authority having regard to the design and construction of the vehicle or of any of its components;
pig trailer means a trailer with one axle group or single axle near the middle of its load‑carrying surface, and connected to the towing vehicle by a drawbar.
pole type trailer means a trailer that:
(a) is attached to a towing vehicle by means of a pole or an attachment fitted to a pole; and
(b) is ordinarily used for transporting loads, such as logs, pipes, structural members or other long objects, that are generally capable of supporting themselves like beams between supports.
prime mover means a motor vehicle designed to haul a semi trailer;
quad‑axle group means a group of 4 axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre‑lines of the outermost axles is more than 3.2 metres but not more than 4.9 metres.
Registration Authority means the authority that is responsible for registering vehicles;
road means an area that is open to or used by the public and is developed for, or has as one of its main uses, the driving or riding of motor vehicles.
road related area means:
(a) an area that divides a road; or
(b) a footpath or nature strip adjacent to a road; or
(c) an area that is open to the public and is designated for use by cyclists or animals; or
(d) an area that is not a road and that is open to or used by the public for driving, riding or parking motor vehicles; or
(e) any shoulder of a road; or
(f) an area that is a road related area for the purposes of the Road Transport (General) Act 1999 of the Australian Capital Territory.
semi trailer means a trailer (including a pole type trailer) that has:
(a) one axle group or single axle towards the rear; and
(b) a means of attachment to a prime mover that results in some of the load being imposed on the prime mover.
short combination prime mover means a prime mover nominated to haul one semi trailer;
short combination truck means a truck nominated to haul one trailer where, according to the nomination:
(a) the combination has 6 axles or fewer; and
(b) the maximum total mass that is legally allowable for the combination is 42.5 tonnes or less.
single axle means an axle not forming part of an axle group.
single axle group means a group of 2 or more axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre‑lines of the outermost axles is less than 1 metre.
special purpose vehicle means:
(a) a vehicle (other than one that the regulations declare not to be a special purpose vehicle for the purposes of this definition) where the primary purpose for which it was built, or permanently modified, was not the carriage of goods or passengers; or
(b) a vehicle declared by the regulations to be a special purpose vehicle for the purposes of this definition.
Note: The second last sentence of this Part contains an interpretation provision affecting this definition.
special purpose vehicle (type o) means a special purpose vehicle (other than a special purpose vehicle (type p)):
(a) built, or permanently modified, primarily for use on roads; and
(b) that has at least one axle or axle group loaded in excess of the mass limits specified in the regulations for the purposes of this definition.
Note: Some possible examples of this kind of vehicle are mobile cranes, fire engines, truck‑mounted concrete pumps and boring plants. These may also fall within the definition of special purpose vehicle (type t) if they have no axle or axle group loaded in excess of the mass limits specified in the regulations for the purposes of that definition.
special purpose vehicle (type p) means a special purpose vehicle built, or permanently modified, primarily for:
(a) off‑road use; or
(b) use on a road related area; or
(c) use on an area of road that is under construction or repair.
Note: Some examples of this kind of vehicle are agricultural tractors, self‑propelled agricultural harvesters, bulldozers, backhoes, graders and front‑end loaders.
special purpose vehicle (type t) means a special purpose vehicle (other than a special purpose vehicle (type p)):
(a) built, or permanently modified, primarily for use on roads; and
(b) that has no axle or axle group loaded in excess of the mass limits specified in the regulations for the purposes of this definition.
Note: Some possible examples of this kind of vehicle are mobile cranes, fire engines, truck‑mounted concrete pumps and boring plants. These may also fall within the definition of special purpose vehicle (type o) if they have at least one axle or axle group loaded in excess of the mass limits specified in the regulations for the purposes of that definition.
tandem axle group means a group of at least 2 axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre‑lines of the outermost axles is at least 1 metre but not more than 2 metres.
trailer means a vehicle that is built to be towed, or is towed, by a motor vehicle, but does not include a motor vehicle that is being towed.
tri‑axle group means a group of at least 3 axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre‑lines of the outermost axles is more than 2 metres, but not more than 3.2 metres.
truck means a rigid motor vehicle that is principally constructed as a load carrying vehicle;
truck (type 1) means a truck that:
(a) has 2 axles and an MRC not exceeding 12 tonnes; or
(b) has 3 axles and an MRC not exceeding 16.5 tonnes; or
(c) has 4 or more axles and an MRC not exceeding 20 tonnes;
truck (type 2) means:
(a) a truck that has 2 axles and an MRC exceeding 12 tonnes; or
(b) a truck that has 3 axles and an MRC exceeding 16.5 tonnes; or
(c) a truck that has 4 or more axles and an MRC exceeding 20 tonnes.
twinsteer axle group means a group of 2 axles:
(a) with single tyres; and
(b) fitted to a motor vehicle; and
(c) connected to the same steering mechanism; and
(d) the horizontal distance between the centre‑lines of which is at least 1 metre, but not more than 2 metres.
For the purposes of this Schedule (other than the definitions of single axle group, tandem axle group, twinsteer axle group, tri‑axle group and quad‑axle group):
(a) 2 axles not more than one metre apart are to be regarded as one axle; and
(b) 3 axles not more than 2 metres apart are to be regarded as 2 axles; and
(c) 4 axles not more than 3.2 metres apart are to be regarded as 3 axles.
For the purposes of determining the number of trailers that a prime mover or truck may tow:
(a) a converter dolly and a semi trailer when used together are to be regarded as one trailer; and
(b) a low loader dolly and a low loader when used together are to be regarded as one trailer.
In paragraph (a) of the definition of special purpose vehicle:
goods does not include fuel, water, lubricants, tools and any other equipment or accessories necessary for the normal operation of the vehicle.
Note: For example, in the case of a crane, goods would not include any chains on the crane necessary to operate the crane.
passengers does not include the driver, a trainee driver or any person necessary for the normal operation of the vehicle.
Nothing in this Schedule applies to a vehicle with an MRC less than or equal to 4.5 tonnes.