Trucks over 4.5 tonnes GVM are restricted from the right lane on certain freeways. Restricting trucks from the right lane on multi-lane freeways is aimed at improving safety and encouraging better road sharing, while also creating a more efficient driving environment.

Freeways where the truck lane restrictions apply
The restrictions now apply on the following roads in both directions:

• Princes Freeway between Kororoit Creek Road, Altona, and Avalon Road, Lara (from 1 July 2010)
• Eastern Freeway between Springvale Road and Hoddle Street (from 19 October 2010).

Restricted vehicles 
The restrictions apply to vehicles over 4.5 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass with the following exemptions:
(a) Buses
(b) Emergency vehicles
(c) Vehicles under escort by: (i) a police officer or (ii) an authorised officer of VicRoads.

Restrictions and penalties
Trucks over 4.5 tonnes GVM will be prohibited from travelling in the right lane. The restrictions will apply 24-hours-a-day and truck drivers caught using the restricted lane will be subject to a penalty of up to a maximum of $358.00.

The ‘Keep Left Unless Overtaking’ rule will still apply to all motorists and is enforced by Victoria Police.

This initiative will help all vehicles to share the road and improve efficiency and safety.

Enforcement
Enforcement of the truck lane restrictions will be carried out by Victoria Police and VicRoads Transport Safety Services officers. Transport Safety Services Transport Safety Service officers are also authorised to issue infringement notices to drivers of motor vehicles for failing to ‘Keep Left’. So if you are a truck driver or motorist and you are requested to pull over by an officer in a VicRoads Transport Safety Services vehicle (with magenta lights) you must pull over as if you were being instructed to do so by a police officer. Drivers requested to pull over are required to move safely over to the left, slow down and come to a stop in the emergency lane.

Community concern
On-road interaction between light vehicles and trucks is an area of community concern and restricting trucks from the right lane of freeways has been a topic for much discussion in recent years.

A recent RACV survey found that 83% of motorists believed that trucks should be restricted from using the right lane on freeways with three or more lanes in each direction.

Questions and Answers
Are you keeping trucks in the left lane of freeways?
No, we are keeping trucks out of the far right lane – trucks have full use of the remaining lanes.

Will it be rolled out on all three-lane freeways?
VicRoads is investigating the roll-out on other freeways with three or more lanes that have significant heavy vehicle use.

Why are the truck lane restrictions only on freeways with three lanes or more?
Applying the restriction where there are only two lanes would unreasonably restrict trucks from overtaking slower vehicles. It would also have an adverse impact on the operation of the freeway.

Where do the truck lane restrictions start and finish?
Signs are installed on the relevant freeways in both directions clearly indicating the start and finish of the restrictions.

How do truck drivers know about the lane restrictions?
In addition to signs on the freeway, awareness campaigns have run in general media and freight industry publications. VicRoads is also liaising with the freight industry when restrictions are introduced on each freeway.

Is this initiative an attack on truck driver behaviour?
No.  This is part of a broader plan to encourage all road users to better ‘share the road’, making for a safer and more efficient driving environment.

Do more trucks in the left lanes make it more difficult to merge as I enter the freeway?
One of the reasons for choosing three-lane freeways is to minimise the impact of vehicle merging when entering the freeway.

Do the restrictions make it harder to exit the freeway if there are lots of trucks in the left lane?
No.  Most trucks keep left anyway, and other drivers exiting the freeway take a commonsense approach and adapt their on-road manoeuvres to suit.

Do the lane restrictions force trucks onto other roads?
No. Trucks are already driving in the two left lanes in the majority of cases. Our freeways are the most efficient traffic movers.

How do I report a truck which has breached the rule?
Drivers can report any infringements to the police or VicRoads. Telephone VicRoads on 13 11 71.

Can a truck overtake using the left lane if there is a car in the middle lane?
Yes, provided they follow the rule regarding overtaking on the left.  The rule states: A driver must not overtake a vehicle to the left of the vehicle unless the driver is driving on a multi-lane road and the vehicle can be safely overtaken in a marked lane to the left of the vehicle.

Can a truck use the right lane if there are slower vehicles in the left and middle lanes?
No.

Can a truck use the transit lane if they are carrying passengers?
No.

Are there any exceptions?
The driver of a truck may use the right lane if directed or permitted by a police officer or an authorised VicRoads officer.

Are road safety cameras being used to enforce the truck restrictions?
There is no intention to use road safety cameras to enforce the restrictions.

More Information
For further information please contact VicRoads on 131171 or e-mail: truck.lanes@roads.vic.gov.au