- Cook
Government acts on calls for GCM and GVM re-ratings for light vehicles
- Safety
of people towing caravans or trailers and other road users a priority
- Only
authorised agents permitted to re-rate a vehicle's GCM and GVM
The Cook Government has
responded to calls from Western Australia's motoring industry amid the rising
popularity of four-wheel-driving and caravanning, and introduced standards to safely
increase maximum weights, known as Gross Combination Mass (GCM) and Gross Vehicle
Mass (GVM) for light vehicles in WA.
The Department of
Transport (DoT) worked in conjunction with the Motor Trade Association of WA
and the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) to develop and
release to the public Vehicle Technical Bulletins VTB-180A and VTB-181A.
VTB-180A and VTB-181A define
the DoT standards for safely increasing the GCM or GVM rating of an eligible
light vehicle that does not exceed 4,500 kilograms and are based on Queensland's
modification code of practice and DoT's current internal practices.
Only DoT approved
modifiers and their preferred agents will be authorised to undertake and
certify the re-rating of a vehicle's GVM or GCM.
Further information is
available from DoT
Vehicle Safety and Standards.
Comments attributed to Minister Assisting the Transport Minister David
Michael:
"The Cook Government has
responded to calls from industry in WA to provide the required standards to safely
increase GCM and GVM ratings for light vehicles in WA.
"The release of VTB-180A
and VTB-181A by DoT follows the release of Queensland's code of practice for
GCM re-rating in 2023 and formally defines WA's procedures to re-rate and
certify the GVM and GCM of a light vehicle.
"The increased uptake of
four-wheel drive vehicles, caravans and trailers in recent years has linked
directly to the interest in re-rating vehicle GCM and GVM, and I believe these
standards will be welcomed by industry and the wider community."
Comments attributed to
Motor Trade Association of WA Group CEO Stephen Moir:
"The new guidelines
provide a clear pathway for industry to safely increase the Gross Combined Mass
(GCM) of a registered light vehicle in WA.
"Safely increasing the
GCM is important to 4WD owners and caravanners that carry extra weight in their
vehicles and still want to tow the maximum tow capacity.
"I would like to thank
the Minister for his commitment to working with the MTA WA to find a practical
solution that benefits motorists."
