1 October 2012

VIRM: Entry certification update – effective from 1 October 2012

List of changes

Note: This update is electronic only, no printed pages will be issued.

This amendment covers a number of changes to the Land Transport Rule: Passenger Service Vehicles 1999 which came into effect on 1 October 2012. The main changes relate to passenger loading to include driver and crew (now called occupant loading), various PSV dimension changes, extendable steps, removal or reduction of actual weight on the front axle and requirements for dedicated wheelchair positions.

This amendment only covers PSV entry inspections.


Section

Change description

Link to vehicle inspection portal page

Introduction

Intro 9

Insert definition for “dedicated wheelchair position” in the appropriate place.

Definitions and abbreviations

Section

Change description

Link to vehicle inspection portal page

Light PSV

LPSV 6-2

Table 6-2-1 (minimum width and height of PSV doorways), RH column: delete 2.c), d) becomes c) – PSVs with a reduced minimum door height of 1650mm may now carry standing passengers, provided the PSV is one of a series of identical vehicles produced in quantities of 1000 or more, has no more than 25 passenger seats and a GVM not exceeding 7000kg.

Light PSV doors and doorways

LPSV 6-3

Delete RfR 1 (1 in 20 gradient for step), renumber subsequent RfRs.

Light PSV entry and exit steps, ramps and hoists

RfR 2.a) and SoL 2: reworded so that manually-operated steps on the side of the PSV may now extend beyond 20mm provided there is a visual or audible alarm to alert the driver if the vehicle is moving with the step extended.

New RfR 6 and SoL 7:When vehicle is parked on flat level surface, a fully extended ramp must have a slope no steeper than 1 in 4 (previously omitted from entry VIRM).

LPSV 6-4

SoL 9.c): insert new legal requirement to cover gap greater than 150mm between emergency exit window and rear seats. This has already been in the RfRs for many years, so no change to inspection requirements.

Light PSV emergency exits

LPSV 7-4

Delete RfR 1.h) and SoL 1.f) (1 in 20 aisle step gradient), renumber subsequent RfRs and SoLs.

Light PSV aisles

Table 7-4-1, RH column for standing passengers: allow reduced 1800mm aisle height where only primary/ intermediate school pupils are allowed on the CoL.

LPSV 9-2

New section to clearly state that LHD vehicles may not enter service as a PSV.

PSV steering light PSV

LPSV 16-1

Table 16-1-2: changed “passenger loading” to “occupant loading” throughout to include driver and crew when calculating loadings.

Light PSV Certificate of loading

New Note 3 (to allow an aisle height of between 1.80-1.83m, but only for standing primary and intermediate school pupils), referenced in Table 16-1-2 (determining occupant loading) under standing passengers.

New Note 4 (definition of dedicated wheelchair position), with a new requirement for PSVs with dedicated wheelchair positions added to Table 16-1-2 (determining occupant loading).

Table 16-1-2, MD1 and MD2 vehicles:

  • Added to item 1 that occupant loading includes the driver and any crew.
  • Removed requirement for 25% of actual weight to be carried on the front axle, no longer applies to light PSVs.

Table 16-1-2, under standing passengers calculation, item 2: new bullet point added to prohibit standing passengers 300mm inboard of area swept by a rear door. Applicable to PSVs entering service on or after 1 December 2012.

Section

Change description

Link to vehicle inspection portal page

Heavy PSV

HPSV 6-2

Table 6-2-1 (minimum width and height of PSV doorways), RH column: delete 2.c), d) becomes c) – PSVs with a reduced minimum door height of 1650mm may now carry standing passengers, provided the PSV is one of a series of identical vehicles produced in quantities of 1000 or more, has no more than 25 passenger seats and a GVM not exceeding 7000kg.

Heavy PSV doors and doorways

HPSV 6-3

Delete RfR 1 (1 in 20 gradient for step), renumber subsequent RfRs.

Heavy PSVentry and exit steps, ramps and hoists

RfR 5.a) and SoL 4: reworded so that manually-operated steps on the side of the PSV may now extend beyond 20mm provided there is a visual or audible alarm to alert the driver if the vehicle is moving with the step extended.

New RfR 9 and SoL 9: When vehicle is parked on flat level surface, a fully extended ramp must have a slope no steeper than 1 in 4 (previously omitted from entry VIRM).

HPSV 6-4

SoL 9.c): insert new legal requirement to cover gap greater than 150mm between emergency exit window and rear seats. This has already been in the RfRs for many years, so no change to inspection requirements.

Heavy PSV emergency exits

HPSV 7-4

Delete RfR 1.h) and SoL 1.f) (1 in 20 aisle step gradient), renumber subsequent RfRs and SoLs.

Heavy PSV aisles

Table HPSV 7-4-1, RH column for standing passengers: allow reduced 1800mm aisle height where only primary/intermediate school pupils are allowed on the CoL.

HPSV 9-2

New section to clearly state that LHD vehicles may not enter service as a PSV.

PSV steering heavy PSV

HPSV 16-1

Table 16-1-2: changed “passenger loading” to “occupant loading” throughout to include driver and crew when calculating loadings.

Heavy PSV Certificate of loading

New Note 4 (to allow an aisle height of between 1.80-1.83m, but only for standing primary and intermediate school pupils), referenced in Table 16-1-2 (determining occupant loading) under standing passengers.

New Note 5 (definition of dedicated wheelchair position), with a new requirement for PSVs with dedicated wheelchair positions added to Table 16-1-2 (determining occupant loading.

Table 16-1-2, PSVs with 10 or more seats:

  • Added to item 1 that occupant loading includes the driver and any crew.
  • item 4: replace requirement for 25% with 20% of actual weight to be carried on the front axle (to align with the Vehicle Dimension and Mass Rule requirements).

Note under standing passengers in wrong place, moved to seated passengers (Note allows that maximum number of passengers may also or instead be displayed on the CoL as a combination of adult and primary/ intermediate school pupils).

Table 16-1-2, under standing passengers calculation, item 2: new bullet point added to prohibit standing passengers 300mm inboard of area swept by a rear door. Applicable to PSVs entering service on or after 1 December 2012.