Correct as at 29th March 2024. It may be superseded at any time.
Extract taken: from Vehicle Inspection Portal > VIRMs > Heavy vehicle specialist certification > Vehicle dynamic performance > Swept path
7-4 Swept path
Certifier categories: HVP1 | HVP2
Background
The Land Transport Rule Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2016 (the Rule) specifies requirements for dimensions and mass limits for vehicles operating on New Zealand roads. The Rule sets in place a regulatory regime so that vehicles are operated safely.
The Rule includes requirements for overdimension vehicles including travel restrictions and piloting to manage the risk to public safety. The Rule also recognises that with appropriate design an overdimension vehicle can be configured to perform cornering manoeuvres and use no greater road space than a maximum size standard vehicle. Therefore the Rule provides for the road space requirements (swept path) of overdimension vehicles to be assessed and if appropriate be exempt from certain specific requirements in the Rule.
While not generally overdimension vehicles, the Rule also contains an exemption for certain classes of buses in respect of determining over-length or forward distance limits based on swept path performance measures.
The assessments for swept path compliance are to be carried out by a heavy vehicle specialist certifier by using a method approved by Waka Kotahi published on the Waka Kotahi website.
The following lists the provisions of the Rule which provide swept-path based exceptions and the performance measures applying to each provision.
Exception | Performance measure |
---|---|
Section 3.5(1) Specialist certification is not required when a vehicle of class MD3, MD4, or ME is fitted with a bicycle rack which has dimensions within the criteria specified in Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2016 (Bicycle Racks on Urban Buses) Class Exemption Notice 2022 |
|
Section 6.9(1) | Not exceed 4.7m through a 90-degree turn inside a 50m radius wall at up to 5km/h |
Section 6.28(1) Note: Ground spreader trucks operated without a trailer or towing a trailer not exceeding 2.55m in width and agricultural vehicles are also exempt the time travel requirements. |
|
Section 6.33(3) Note there are limitations to this exemptions set out in section 6.33(2) of the Rule. |
|
Section 6.34(4) | Not exceed 4.7m through a 90-degree turn inside a 50m radius wall at up to 5km/h |
Certificates of compliance for swept path performance
- Bicycle rack fitted to the front of a bus of class MD3, MD4 or ME is not included in determining the overall length or forward distance
- Giving a Category 2 overdimension vehicle the right to operate in accordance with Category 1 overdimension operating requirements
- Providing exemption from the travel time restrictions for an overdimension vehicle
- Providing exemption for an overdimension vehicle within category 2 from the requirement to have at least one Class 1 pilot vehicle and one Class 2 pilot vehicle
- Providing exemption from class 2 pilot vehicle escort
Page amended 7 October 2022 (see amendment details).