278. In The Weeds with Mike and Trev.

General Industry View on the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Amendment Regulation 2025The 2025 amendments to the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), including the specific updates to mass, dimension, and loading rules under the accompanying regulations, have elicited a cautiously positive but predominantly disappointed response from the Australian trucking and road freight industry. Stakeholders, including major bodies like the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad), view the package as a modest step forward in simplifying compliance and enhancing safety, but criticize it for falling short of the "first principles" reform promised after the six-year review process that began in 2018. The changes—such as slight increases to general mass limits, easier Higher Mass Limits (HML) declarations, and more flexible loading via Safety Management Systems (SMS)—are seen as productivity boosters, yet the overall package is lambasted for lacking ambition, particularly on access reforms and fatigue management flexibility.

Key Issues the Industry Has with the 2025 HVNL Amendments(Mass, Dimension & Loading + broader package)#

Issue

What the industry says

1

Lack of ambition / watered-down reform

After 7 years of review, the final package is seen as “incremental tinkering” rather than the promised “first-principles rewrite”. Many big ideas from 2018–2024 consultations were dropped or heavily diluted.

2

Productivity gains are too small

Minor mass/dimension increases are welcomed but described as “barely noticeable”. No meaningful lift in general-access limits or widespread Higher Productivity Vehicle rollout.

3

Access reform largely abandoned

The original goal of eliminating 90 % of permits by 2028 is gone. Operators still face slow, inconsistent permit processes across councils and states.

4

Fatigue management flexibility removed

Plans to reduce the number of work/rest options and give more genuine flexibility were scrapped late in the process, leaving the old rigid hours largely intact.

5

Accreditation & SMS changes risk more red tape

The new “alternative compliance” and mandatory SMS requirements are complex and costly for small operators; many fear it will add paperwork rather than reduce it.

6

Regulations still not finalised

The primary law has passed, but the detailed mass, dimension, loading and fatigue regulations are still being drafted. Industry is nervous about last-minute surprises and insufficient consultation time (some want minimum 42 days).

7

Implementation timeline too tight

Mid-2026 start with staged rollout leaves only ~6–12 months for fleets to retrain drivers, update systems, and renegotiate contracts.

8

No clear accountability or KPIs

No legislated forward work program or measurable targets (e.g., permit reduction, safety outcomes), so industry doubts further improvements will actually happen.