Heavy vehicle access and routes

Superloads

Contact us at least six months before you plan to transport a very large load. 

Superloads are large vehicles carrying very heavy, wide or tall loads. Superloads require planning and support in order to be done safely.

Contact us six months before you plan to move your superload.

In Victoria, a superload is:

  • a vehicle and load with a gross vehicle mass of 250 tonnes or greater.
  • a vehicle with both:
    • a platform axle load of more than 15 tonnes or more per axle
    • six or more axles.
  • any high-frequency movement of vehicles that each have a gross vehicle mass of 170 tonnes or more (for example, a series of trucks transporting concrete segments for large viaducts, which are used in elevated roadway projects).

Download the planning for superloads: Department of Transport superload checklist (DOCX).

Tell us about your superload

Email [email protected] six months before you move your superload. We use this time to check:

  • whether the superload will travel over bridges and other major structures
  • if the superload needs to be taken another way because of road restrictions or events
  • risk and contingency planning
  • engagement with key stakeholders
  • whether we need to monitor the impact on bridges
  • whether we need to add props or reinforcement to structures, to support the superload
  • how we're going to manage traffic and tell people about possible disruptions.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator manages heavy vehicle access permits.

See the checklists on this page for full details of planning requirements.

Fees

Project managers need to pay a fee for:

  • preliminary assessment and cost estimate preparation
  • superload movements
  • access and permit assessments
  • approvals.
  • pre and post move structure inspections.

Follow our checklists below to learn more about fees you need to pay.

How we support superload projects

FunctionDetail
Minimise community impact

We plan ahead to make sure a superload disrupts traffic as little as possible. As part of our planning, we may:

  • temporarily remove power poles, traffic lights and street signs to let a superload through
  • slow driving speeds on the route to approx. 20-30 km/hr
  • put detours in place for other traffic in the area
  • let a superload take up the entire width of the road
  • get superloads to travel late at night or early in the morning.
Manage public safety

We work with the superload project owners to protect:

  • our staff and contractors
  • the superload team
  • other road users who may be using the network at the same time as the superload.
Communicate with stakeholders

We work with superload projects owners, and provide information and advice to the community about superload road status and safety matters. This helps emergency services operate while a superload is moving.

We also share route details with stakeholders involved in facilitating the superload move.

Checklists


Responsibilties