Vehicle Loading, Dimensions and Weight Limits
What the exam tests
This domain tests whether you can load and operate a commercial vehicle within its legal weight, axle, dimension and security limits, and recognise when a permit is required.
Core rules
- Never exceed the gross vehicle weight, gross combination weight, axle weights or tyre load ratings. Payload is the difference between the GVW and the unladen weight.
- Distribute load evenly and low, and secure it with straps, chains or restraints rated for the load. The load must not shift under braking or cornering.
- Do not carry passengers in the cargo area. Do not let the load obscure lights, plates, mirrors or the driver's view, or spill onto the road.
- Oversized or overweight loads need a permit and may need markings, escorts or a specified route. Projecting loads must be marked as the permit requires.
- Check the load and restraints during the trip, especially after the first few kilometres and after heavy braking.
Worked example
A van has a GVW of 3,500 kg and an unladen weight of 2,300 kg, so its payload is 1,200 kg. You add 900 kg of cargo, a 150 kg rack and 200 kg of tools: 1,250 kg. The van is overloaded by 50 kg even though the cargo looks modest. Reason: payload includes accessories and tools, not just the goods being delivered.
Traps
Treating volume as weight; forgetting the rack, tools and fuel; assuming a permit makes an unsafe load legal; checking restraints only at the start; ignoring axle limits because the total weight is under the GVW.