High Productivity Motor Vehicle and 50MAX permits

Whakatāne District Council has approved a number of its roads for use by HPMV vehicles, but we have also identified bridges within the District which 50MAX vehicles are not permitted to cross.

High Productivity Motor Vehicle (HPMV) Permits

From 1 May 2010, the weight and dimensions rules for vehicle combinations were amended to allow a new class of vehicle called high productivity motor vehicles (HPMVs). Previously the maximum mass limit for a vehicle combination carrying a divisible load without a permit was 44 tonnes. HPMVs will be able to go over that limit, and some will be able to be longer than the usual 20-metre overall length.

Find out more about High Productivity Motor Vehicles from the NZTA »

Whakatāne District has approved a number of its roads for use by HPMV vehicles. Permits for HPMV use on approved Whakatāne District Council roads can be obtained through NZTA. NZTA will issue a permit covering both state highways and local roads on your proposed HPMV route.

Application Process

• Apply for an HPMV permit via the New Zealand Transport Agency
• Whakatāne District Council roads that have been approved for HPMV travel are shown on the map at the bottom of this page

50MAX Permits

In 2013, NZTA identified that most road bridges constructed across the country could safely carry 50-tonne loads. NZTA has developed a further new class of heavy vehicle which can have a maximum combined total mass of 50 tonnes, an increase on the standard 44 tonnes. 50MAX is therefore a new generation of truck that allows for the safe and more efficient transport of freight goods.

50MAX trucks are slightly longer than standard 44 tonne vehicles, have an additional axle (9 in total) and can have a total weight of up to 50 tonnes. 50MAX trucks are not replacing the standard 44 tonne trucks; they are an option for industry to use if they choose. It gives operators another option to carry increased payloads on parts of the network that, while economically important to New Zealand, are unable to carry High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs).

A permit is required to operate a 50MAX truck. Whilst 50MAX vehicles can operate on most roads, there are some bridges that they cannot travel over due to load restrictions on the bridge.

Find out more about 50MAX from the NZTA »

Application Process

Apply for a 50MAX Permit for operation on both the State Highway network and Whakatāne District Council local roads, via the New Zealand Transport Agency.

Bridges within the Whakatāne District which 50MAX vehicles cannot cross are shown in the table below and on the HPMV Route Map at the bottom of this page.

45/46 Tonne Heavy Vehicle Permits

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has approved two new classes of heavy commercial vehicle to operate on New Zealand Roads from 1 February 2017.

These new vehicles are 45 tonne (7 axle combination) and 46 tonne (8 axle combination) truck and trailer units.

As the overall mass of these vehicles is below 50 tonnes, Whakatāne District Council has approved these new heavy vehicle combinations for travel on all roads within the Whakatāne District, as it has for 50MAX vehicles.

Permits are required to be obtained from NZTA for 45/46 tonne vehicles, as it is for 50MAX vehicles

This means all roads are essentially approved for the new combinations, except that there are the 7 bridges listed below which have load restrictions on them.

Bridges with weight or speed restrictions

50MAX vehicles are not permitted to cross these bridges.

HPMV Route Map and 50MAX Bridge Restrictions