A road train consists of a Prime Mover or Truck, pulling two or more Trailers. They’re also known as Restricted Access Vehicles or RAVs.

For example:

Road trains can vary in length ranging from  27.5 metres to 60 metres.  To put this into perspective a 60 metre road train is equivalent in length to approximately 12 average cars.

Road trains operate on dedicated approved road networks throughout the state. These networks have been individually assessed to ensure they are suitable for the road train to travel on them. Whilst longer road trains up to 60 metres operate solely in regional areas it is common to encounter road trains up to 42 metres in the Perth metro area.

You can view a list of the most common RAVs that travel WA using our Common RAV Configurations chart and our RAV Mapping Tool provides an overview of the approved Restricted Access Vehicle (RAV) networks.

Due to their size, a truck needs additional room to make a turn and will often need to swing out and utilise additional lanes to safely make the turn at intersections, roundabouts etc.  If you see a truck displaying a “Do not overtake turning vehicle” sign fitted at the rear and they have indicated to make a turn, remember to:

• Be patient;
• Leave space; and
• Wait for the truck to complete the turn before proceeding

Like all vehicles towing a trailer, road trains are limited to 100 km/h. However, some of the larger road trains are limited to 90 km/h and other speed restrictions can apply on certain roads to ensure the road trains operate safely. So, if you are behind a slower moving road train, be patient, as they are likely travelling at this speed for safety reasons.

Whether you are travelling for business or on route to your holiday destination for that well earned break, there is no doubt you will find yourself behind a road train. It’s important to be patient and wait fo the next overtaking lane if possible. If you need to overtake remember these 3 steps:

RAVs  are much bigger and heavier than other vehicles on the road which means they are much slower to accelerate and require more distance to stop.  When travelling in the Road Train Domain remember:

• Be patient as RAVs are much slower to accelerate to the speed limit.
• Do not cut in front of a heavy vehicle as the driver may not have enough room to safely stop if they need to suddenly brake.
• Leave even more space in poor weather conditions i.e. rain as this increases the time it takes for vehicles to stop.