Grain Harvest Management Scheme
From 1 October to 31 May each year, a Grain Harvest Management Scheme (GHMS) will operate in Victoria to improve the productivity, safety and efficiency of heavy vehicles during the harvest season.
With positive results seen over its first five years, the grain harvest management scheme (GHMS) will continue to operate each harvest season.
The GHMS recognises the difficulty of accurately loading trucks on-farm with grain and has been designed to create some flexibility. The scheme allows participants a 5% mass concession above the statutory General Mass Limit for vehicles delivering grain to a participating grain receiver.
The scheme benefits the grain and road transport industries as well as the wider community. It allows for an efficient grain harvest while eliminating overloading on our roads through appropriate administration procedures and compliance activities.
What are the key features of the scheme?
Key aspects of the GHMS include:
- The vehicle must be manufactured on or after 1 January 2002.
- Grain is delivered to a participating grain receiver.
- Participation is not restricted to farmers and is open to anyone transporting grain from a farm to a participating grain receiver.
- Operators of an eligible vehicle no longer need to apply to participate in the GHMS and will automatically opt-in.
For further information please see our GHMS operating guidelines -September 2023 (PDF).
How do I know if a grain receiver is participating in the scheme?
We will be publishing a list of grain receivers who are participating in the Scheme. Be sure to check back regularly as the list will be updated as more grain receivers join the scheme.
You can also check out the grain harvest management scheme maps which include the location of each participating grain receiver's individual depots.
Participating receivers
- CHS Broadbent
- Boort Grain Co-op Ltd
- Emerald Grain
- GrainCorp
- GrainFlow
- Nandaly Grain Co-op Ltd
- Teys Australia Charlton
- Viterra
Grain receivers wanting to join the scheme can apply by completing the participating grain receiver undertaking and signature form (PDF).
Where can I drive?
You’ll be able to drive on most roads, however, some restrictions will be in place. We’ve developed two maps which show the approved roads.
Be sure to check these maps regularly as local councils roads are updated frequently.
How do I join the scheme?
In previous years, operators have completed an online form and been issued with a letter confirming their enrolment in the Victorian GHMS.
From 2022, all eligible vehicles that comply with the conditions set out in the Victorian class 3 GHMS exemption (notice) 2022 that aren’t operating under another mass concession, will be automatically included in the GHMS and eligible for the 5% mass concession.
How do I check if my vehicle is eligible?
You can find out if your vehicle is eligible by checking the GHMS mass limit chart - September 2023 (PDF), which gives an example of each vehicle combination eligible to operate under the scheme and the maximum mass they are able to operate at.
Please note: road-trains, combinations that operate under the higher mass limits scheme and vehicles that comply with performance-based standards are not eligible for this scheme.
Useful links
Please refer to the below links for further information.