Rural Intermodal Scheme : VicRoads
Access Key Map
Skip to content
Home
Contact Us
About VicRoads
Careers
Publications and Forms
News Room
Your java script is disabled please click here to search the website
Site Menu
Home
Registration
Licensing
Road Safety
Rules, Standards & Regulations
Roads and Projects
Public Transport & Environment
Heavy Vehicles
Work Diaries and Work/Rest Hours
Vehicle Management and Safety
News
Contacts and Associations
Compliance and Accreditation
Victorian Road Freight Advisory Council
Information Bulletins
Route Information
45 Tonne permit scheme
48.0 Tonne container vehicles between Dynon Rail and Melbourne Wharves
B-doubles and higher mass limit vehicles
Height clearance on roads
Oversize / Overmass Vehicle Annual Permit Schemes
Oversize/overmass vehicles
Truck curfews
Road trains
Metropolitan Heavy Container Vehicle Scheme
Rural Intermodal Scheme
Port Low Loader Scheme
Permits for travel across train or tram lines
Registration and Licensing
Print
Rural Intermodal Scheme
Introduction
The facilitation of the transport of freight by rail, by allowing the use of innovative vehicles, may provide overall benefits through improved productivity, reduced road wear and bridge impacts for a given operation, and a reduced number of truck movements (including those transporting empty containers).
Scheme requirements
The use of innovative vehicles may be considered for a rural intermodal freight transport operation, where a business case is developed and presented that demonstrates that benefits can be delivered against the following objectives:
An increased proportion of the total transport task will be undertaken by rail. To be eligible under this scheme the road leg must be a relatively small proportion of the transport journey and the road leg must be to the nearest rail freight terminal.
Minimising container transport by road for a given operation. This would include increased efficiency in the use of laden containers, and minimizing the transport by road of empty containers.
Minimizing the transport of containers by road in urban areas.
A net reduction in road wear and bridge impacts. This is to be evaluated against the approved national infrastructure related Performance-Based Standards.
Road safety is improved. This is to include an evaluation of the proposed vehicle which demonstrates that it meets the approved safety related requirements of the national Performance-Based Standards project.
In addition to addressing the objectives of the scheme, any proposal would also need to address the following:
The route is suitable in respect of road geometry and capacity;
Bridges and culverts on the proposed route have sufficient capacity;
Local Government endorses in writing the operation on any local roads, having considered:
Road geometry, bridge and culvert capacity, and traffic impacts; and
Community amendity impacts, including planning issues associated with container transport, handling and storage;
The proposal is in accord with State planning provisions.
There is a high degree of confidence about compliance with road transport law, including continual compliance with vehicle mass, route access and any specified operating conditions.
Examples of ways to demonstrated a 'high degree of compliance' may include:
Participation in the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme - Mass Management Module; and
Having a VicRoads' approved vehicle tracking system with third party auditing and reporting of route non-compliance to VicRoads on a monthly basis, with any on-going operation to conform to the protocols and processes being developed by the national Intelligent Access Project.