Truckie question

nicc4, Nov 20, 1:02am
Can someone please tell me what the H plate stands for on the big trucks.

mbikeman1, Nov 20, 1:23am
heavy!for the newish increase in weights!me thinks anyways

henderson_guy, Nov 20, 1:25am
They are displayed on the trucks which are over 20m long. No idea what it stands for though.

dalkiel, Nov 20, 1:27am
The first two permits to allow heavier than normal trucks to use the roads, have been issued to two Solid Energy vehicles.

The trucks will be allowed to carry loads of up to 50 tonnes along the 60 kilometre route between New Vale Mine and Edendale in Southland.

The usual allowable maximum is 44 tonnes.

The trucks must display special H plates at all times

henderson_guy, Nov 20, 1:36am
Not all trucks displaying H plates are capable of carrying in excess of 44ton.

dalkiel, Nov 20, 1:56am
Trailors maybe

snork28, Nov 20, 1:57am

gunhand, Nov 20, 1:57am
Great, like our roads can handle more weight.

dalkiel, Nov 20, 2:01am
only on specific roads

shootz, Nov 20, 2:05am
The "H" plate means that the truck in question is a "HPMV" (High Productivity Motor Vehicle) classified vehicle. It can run over weight (upto 62 tons, or over dimension upto 22.5 mtrs in length) under permit. Only permitted for certain routes that are approvedfor HPMV vehicles. Not all HPMV will be carting 62 Tons. Some routes could be for only 50 ton, however most trucks will be upto the 22.5 mtrsmaximum allowed length.

nicc4, Nov 20, 2:17am
Thanks to all the above. Its clear the permit regulations are another fine example of creating employment for bureaucrats. At the end of the day the god squad is still going to have to pull over said truck to find out what that trucks H permit is actually for.

As for us non-truckies, we can blissfully ignore the H plate, even though some of these units will be longer to pass, and you cant always tell that from back on.

shootz, Nov 20, 2:24am
My logger has been running a 22mtr permit for 6 years and the only give away too the public that it is over length is the yellow flags marking the load. if it wasnt for that, very few people would even realise that it was longer than most trucks.

rthomas80, Nov 20, 2:26am
thats exactly what my paqrtner said and he is a logger too

chris_051, Nov 20, 2:28am
But if the load can be moved in 5 trips instead of 6 then what is the problem.

gunhand, Nov 20, 3:19am
Yea but it wont work like that I wouldnt think, they will just do an extra load for extra $$, trucks not makin money sitting. Unless theres only 5 loads to be done lol, then what does the driver do with the free time.

flashgordon_nz, Nov 20, 4:21am
and the irony is now, legislation being discussed in regard to RUC's, will mean B trains, with more axles on the road, will pay more. 2 of our owner/drivers run 2 sets of trainers each, in a swap situation. Both have a set of 5 axle, and a set of 6 axle. If it goes thru, each will be paying 6k more a month for the 6 axle than the 5 axle. meaning a good old 4 axle b will be cheaper to run, but permitted to carry just as much, using the correct axles. go figure!

poppajn, Nov 20, 6:28am
Well you nearly got it right.50 ton gross, 34 ton payload.Their new truck is 63 ton gross, 42.5 ton payload, 22.5 meters long, 5 axle truck, 5 axle trailer.

romulan7, Nov 20, 6:49pm
Road engineering limits and the impact of the vibration caused by a larger faster moving truck to the foundations of properties near the road.At night trucks tend to ignore speedlimits especially the ones when they are required to slow down for short periods eg small towns.Those speed limits are not just safety or as many percieve revenue collection points but also engineering to the structure of the road.
Larger trucks increased road damage just as higher road usage from smaller vehicles affect the roads.

poppajn, Mar 22, 10:03am
What a lot of people don,t realise is that there have been trucks that sometimes run overweight (illegally) for years, so 50 ton is nothing new, it,s just legal now for HMPV,s.briges and roads have taken it. Failures in road stucture is not altogether due to weight, it,s the cheap way roads are formed now. look at ant road in an area where a dam has been built, you never see a patch in the road even now, years later.