Speed limits for heavy vehicles

Speed limits

In NSW the maximum speed limit for a vehicle more than 4.5 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is 100 km/h.

For certain road conditions, such as sharp bends, steep descents and winding roads, special speed limit signs may be posted for trucks, road trains and buses. You must not drive at a speed greater than the speed shown on the sign.

Speed limiters

Speed limiters are devices that limit a vehicle’s maximum speed. If your vehicle falls into one of the following groups, it must be speed limited to 100 km/h:

• A truck having a GVM exceeding 15 tonnes
• A bus used to provide a public passenger service and with a GVM exceeding 14.5 tonnes
• A heavy vehicle or bus manufactured on or after 1 January 1991 being either a:
  • truck having a GVM exceeding 12 tonnes
  • bus used to provide a public passenger service and with a GVM exceeding 5 tonnes.

Speed compliance

The speed compliance component of the Road Transport (General) Regulation places duties on parties in the supply chain to take steps to ensure that their activities, schedules or arrangements do not cause heavy vehicle drivers to exceed the speed limits.

It complements existing chain of responsibility provisions for mass, load restraint, vehicle dimension and fatigue management.

The speed compliance component applies to heavy vehicles with a GVM of more than 4.5 tonnes.

Chain of responsibility

There is a specific duty on seven off-road parties to take all reasonable steps to ensure that their actions do not cause drivers to exceed speed limits.

See the chain of responsibility for more information.

Heavy vehicle drivers

The Regulation does not impose any obligations on employed drivers. Drivers of heavy vehicles are required to obey the speed limits. Penalties on drivers failing to comply with speed limits include demerit points, licence suspension, cancellation or disqualification and fines.