Heavy tow trucks

The Operation of Heavy Tow Trucks in South Australia Policy MR1567 (797.0 KB PDF) outlines the various means of towing heavy vehicles in South Australia and details the types of towing operations allowed, mass and dimension limits, and operating requirements and responsibilities.

The policy aligns tow truck operations in South Australia with other states and territories and provides productivity benefits to the industry by:

• assisting in the safe and efficient transfer of vehicles between premises
• incorporating productivity initiatives such as towing a replacement prime mover to regional or remote areas and accommodating the steer axle mass limits on the current heavy vehicle fleet and
• closer reflecting the current activities undertaken by the heavy tow truck industry in SA.

Vehicle Standards Bulletin

Vehicle Standards Bulletin 6 (VSB6): National Code of Heavy Vehicle Modification is the national standard for the most common modifications made to heavy vehicles. Under the NHVR Code of Practice for the Approval of Heavy Vehicle Modifications, the Natioinlal Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has set VSB6 as the primary standard used by Approved Vehicle Examiners (AVEs) to approve modifications to heavy vehicles.

Section T of the VSB6 relates to Heavy Tow Trucks, which among other standards, requires that the tow truck has to maintain a minimum of 60% of the unladen steer mass with a towed vehicle connected.

Permits

Operators can apply for a Class 3 Permit to operate Heavy Tow Trucks in South Australia under the new policy through the NHVR Portal.

NHVR Portal

Related information

Documents

On the  NHVR South Australia notices webpage:

• South Australia Class 1 Transport of Indivisible Items and Agricultural Vehicles Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)
• Information Sheet - South Australia Class 1 Transport of Indivisible Items and Agricultural Vehicles Dimension Exemption