This ATA submission to the NTC review of access to PBS mass limits for truck and trailer combinations conveys the feedback received from ATA member associations and industry stakeholders, including:
• operators, including PBS vehicle operators
• trailer manufacturers
• designers of innovative heavy vehicles, and
• holders of existing PBS design approvals
 

The submission recommends that heavy vehicles operating above GML be enrolled in a mass management scheme and that the review outcomes help to increase PBS applications, vehicle registrations and access.

Truck and trailer designs account for 63% of PBS design applications. PBS 7 axle truck and dog trailer combinations are also afforded the same General Mass Limits (GML) and Concessional Mass Limits (CML) weights as compliant 7 axle B-double vehicle configurations. This results in a minor benefit in payload for truck and dog combinations, decreased safety performance for truck and dog combinations; the same pavement wear for the same axle group weights; significant benefits in registration costs for truck and dog combinations, and safer, better performing roll-coupled alternatives (dynamically speaking) paying a premium at registration for delivering better safety outcomes.