What is the Harvest Mass Management Scheme (HMMS)?
The Harvest Mass Management Scheme (HMMS) comes into effect between 1 October and the last day of February each year to assist the grain industry with managing the difficulties experienced when loading grain in a paddock. While this is not a concessional loading scheme, with Transport Operators expected to load to statutory mass limits, Main Roads acknowledges that there are limited weighing facilities in
paddocks and variations in grain densities.
As such, the HMMS allows a vehicle to exceed a statutory mass requirement by up to 10 per cent, to a maximum of 10 tonnes on the gross mass, subject to the conditions specified in the HMMS Business Rules. Once delivered and weighed at the Grain Receiver, the loads should be adjusted accordingly for the next delivery, which eliminates overloading and works toward achieving fully compliant loading practices for the remainder of the harvest season.
How to participate in the Scheme
To participate in the HMMS, Transport Operators are required to register with each participating Grain Receiver that they deliver to during the harvest period. This must be completed prior to any load being accepted by that Grain Receiver. An application to register a vehicle for use under the HMMS can be obtained and submitted directly to the participating Grain Receiver where deliveries will be made. A written agreement must also be signed stating that the transport operator will abide by the HMMS Business Rules and any additional rules the participating Grain Receiver may have in place to ensure they meet their obligations under the scheme.
What roads can I access?
Transport Operators and farmers operating in the scheme need to ensure the roads they intend to use are approved for the particular RAV combination being used. Road ratings and approvals are available on the Main Roads RAV Mapping Tool at www.mainroads.wa.gov.au.
If additional roads are required, the Transport Operator or farmer can apply for a road to be added to the relevant RAV network via the standard RAV route assessment application process. For further information on this, or to obtain an application form, visit the Access Requirements in WA page on the Main Roads website.
It should be noted however, that a Transport Operator cannot participate in the HMMS if they are operating under the Accredited Mass Management Scheme (AMMS) and their loading controls are relevant to the loading site they are transporting grain from.
Further Information
The HMMS Business Rules define the requirements which apply to each party involved in the scheme and can be found on the Harvest Mass Management Scheme page on the Main Roads website.
For more information please call Main Roads Heavy Vehicle Services Helpdesk on 138 486 or visit www. mainroads.wa.gov.au
Movement of Oversize and Overmass Agricultural Vehicles
In recent years, Main Roads has worked closely with agricultural industry representatives to simplify and streamline the requirements relating to moving oversize and overmass agricultural vehicles on the public road network.
The development of the Agricultural Machine Order allows oversize and overmass agricultural machines to be moved on the public road network without a permit, subject to a list of restricted bridges. The Agricultural Combinations Order allows oversize and overmass agricultural combinations to be moved on the public road network without a permit, provided they do not cross any bridges. If a bridge needs to be crossed, the operator simply needs to obtain a bridge crossing permit.
It’s important you know the legal requirements, such as if you need to apply for a permit or are you covered by the extensive Main Roads Orders, and whether a pilot vehicle is needed to accompany the agricultural vehicle.
Further Information
To find out more download our handy print friendly quick links postcard from the Agricultural Vehicles page on our website at www.mainroads.wa.gov.au
Agriculturally Focussed #BiggerThanYou Campaign
Off the back of the success of its award winning #BiggerThanYou campaign, Main Roads hit the market again in the second half of 2021, this time focussing on what road users should do when approaching large, slow moving agricultural vehicles.
Feedback from industry and local farmers is, quite simply, that there are too many near misses due to driver inattention or frustration, or road users not driving to the conditions.
The agriculturally focussed campaign was released just prior to last year’s record harvest season, to coincide with the busy Summer tourist season, and included television and radio commercials, roadside billboards on key driving routes out of Perth, social media posts,
bumper stickers and an insert in Farm Weekly. Throughout December and January it also featured on more than 100 bus backs and sides across the Perth Metropolitan area.
Filmed on a local road in York last year, the television commercial provides a timely reminder to slow down, be patient and stay safe.
With further support from the transport and agricultural industries, Main Roads hopes to continue the heavy vehicle awareness campaign, winner of the 2021 WA Rural Media Award for Best Communications Campaign, to further educate road users on how to drive safely and interact with heavy vehicles on West Australian roads.
To find out more, or to download our campaign materials, visit www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/bigger-than-you
Article kindly provided by WA Main Roads.
