Road train vehicle and trailer components, such as brakes, tow couplings and drawbars, experience significantly higher loads and stresses than other combinations. To ensure road trains operate safely, the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Australian Design Rules (ADRs) apply specific requirements to vehicle components used in road trains. Operators and other parties in the Chain of Responsibility (CoR) must ensure that vehicles used in road train combinations comply with these safety-critical requirements.

The information in the table below will assist operators and other parties in the CoR to perform this detailed check. It outlines road train trailer requirements and provides references to where more detailed information may be found.

A simple way for operators to check whether the trailer is specified for use in a road train is to check the manufacturer’s plate. This will show whether the vehicle has been built to meet the specific requirements for use in a road train combination. Operators can also check whether there is a modification plate fitted showing VSB 6 Code S11. If the manufacturer’s plate does not indicate suitability for use in a road train combination and there is no modification plate showing VSB 6 Code S11, a more detailed check will be required to confirm compliance.

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Note: Road trains operating under the Performance Based Standards (PBS) scheme must comply with the conditions of their Vehicle Approval (VA).