Freight delays add costs

Livestock & Rural Transporters Association of SA president and Smiths Haulage owner David Smith said temporary permits were available, issued through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator after permission by the Department of Planning Transport and Industry, to allow hay to travel via road train or B-double.

But he is concerned the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator had held back movement by initially refusing to allow exemptions for the higher mass limit on these loads.

It was only within the past week that NHVR gave approval to transport hay on road trains to HML weights in SA – a little late for much of SA’s needs, Mr Smith believes.

He said some hay would have fit within the concessional mass limits but some loads of hay might approach the upper limit and it was difficult to gauge while on the farm.

He believes decisions are being made using outdated information, with the latest reports on transporting hay written in 2008 and 2004.  

“Farming and transport practices and equipment have improved in 10 years – that report is so far out of date,” he said.

With freight making up a large portion of the cost of hay, he believes more flexibility could aid in cost reduction.

Midway through this month the NSW government announced new heavy vehicle regulations for hay carriers to provide more flexibility but this has not been extended to other states.

The new NSW Class 3 Drought Assistance Dimension Exemption Notice allows eligible vehicles transporting hay to travel under notice and without a permit, including B-doubles up to 26 metres long and up to 2.83m wide on all approved roads and up to 4.6m high, on the approved 4.6m high network.

NSW Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair said the new measures would allow each truck load to be used to its full capacity.

A spokesperson from the NHVR said it was assisting by fast-tracking any permit applications and waiving the $73 fee for any drivers travelling in or out of drought-declared areas.

No areas in SA have been declared in-drought but last week Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone said he was working with regions suffering a second season with minimal rainfall.

The NHVR spokesperson said trucks heading to NSW from interstate, such as Tas and WA – across SA – were required to meet the proper dimensions to ensure safety.

They said the NHVR would continue to work with local road managers. 

A DPTI spokesperson said it had been participating in the NHVR program to provide hay from WA to drought-stricken farmers in NSW, allowing heavy vehicles travelling through SA from the WA border to use DPTI and local roads through Port Augusta, Jamestown and Cockburn to the NSW border. 

DPTI has provided the NHVR with a permit-based scheme, which is reflective of the conditions of the NSW Class 3 Drought Assistance Exemption Notice.

An eligible vehicle, including rigid vehicles, prime mover and semi-trailer or low loader combinations, B-Doubles or road trains, are able to request a Class 3 permit from the NHVR to travel from the SA/WA border to the SA/NSW border:

These eligible vehicle must not exceed either of the following dimensions 2.83m wide and 4.6m high.

The spokesperson said vehicles must use the route from the Eyre Highway along the Nullabor on the WA Border to the Barrier Highway, Cockburn.

They will travel via the Eyre Highway to the Augusta Highway, Princes Highway/Victoria Parade (Port Augusta), Augusta Highway, Wilkins Highway, Clyde Street/ Appila Road, Jamestown, Boundary Road, Jamestown, RM Williams Way, Beniah Road, Second Street (Yongala, Beniah Road, Telford Avenue/Main Street, Peterborough, Petersburg Road to Barrier Hwy.

DPTI has previously provided drought concessions to enable round bales of hay to be moved from WA to Vic (2014) and via the Strzelecki Track to Qld.