Anyone who’s ever had to move a crane to a site knows the somewhat frustrating process of navigating the permit process, whether it’s due to unfamiliar roads, complex regulations, or unexpected logistical challenges. Then there’s the paperwork, weeks of waiting, and the uncertainty of whether that last 500 metres of access will be approved.
Sound familiar?
That’s the challenge the National Automated Access System (NAAS) is designed to tackle. NAAS is Australia’s next big step in heavy vehicle access. And for the crane industry, where jobs are often last-minute, time is money, and last-mile access can make or break a project, it’s set to be a game-changer.
Why NAAS matters for cranes
Cranes are different to trucks. They’re usually larger, heavier and their main purpose is lifting. The work they do, raising pool shells, placing bridge beams, or hoisting air-conditioners onto rooftops, is often urgent and time-critical.
The current permit process can take weeks, with operators often left in the dark until every road manager has responded. By then, the job may have fallen through, costs have blown out, or the customer is already frustrated.
NAAS changes that by giving crane operators:
• Faster answers – Generate a map and instantly see where your crane can travel across the whole network.
• More options, more flexibility – Test different crane types or sizes and see which can access the site most efficiently.
• Last-mile certainty – Visibility on those tricky final stretches into job sites.
• Clarity across borders – Different rules in different states are made transparent through a single system.
• Practical planning – If Route A is blocked, you can check Route B on the network map before sending the crane out the gate.
For an industry built on speed and reliability, NAAS means operators can plan with confidence.
Brandon Hitch CICA Chief Executive Officer, summed it up: “The NAAS is a game-changer for the crane industry. Having a clear, consistent and immediate process for assessing access to the road network means operators can plan with certainty, reduce delays, and improve safety outcomes. For an industry that already works under tight timeframes and complex logistics, NAAS gives us the confidence that we can get the right equipment to the right place to progress key projects, without unnecessary red tape holding projects back.”
How it works
NAAS is built on the proven Tasmanian HVAMS (Heavy Vehicle Access Management System) platform, which has been successfully working for nearly a decade. It provides a digital, legally recognised way to confirm access, without waiting weeks for multiple road managers to respond to permit requests.
Here’s how it works, step by step:
1. Create your vehicle profile
Enter crane details into the system – axle configuration, weight and dimensions. NAAS saves this as a reusable vehicle code, so you only need to do it once.
2. Generate a tailored network map
Based on your vehicle, NAAS instantly shows the full available network for your crane. Each network is valid for 14 days.
3. Update when needed
If the job falls outside that window, revisit NAAS, enter your saved vehicle code, and generate an updated network, which will be valid for another 14 days. No waiting for paperwork.
4. Plan your trip with a Route Card
For each job, you can create a specific route and generate a Route Card with turn-by-turn directions, conditions, and restrictions (like speed limits, curfews, or bridge conditions). Everything you need is captured in one document – no piecing it together from multiple approvals.
5. Backed by gazette notice
These maps carry legal effect. They’re not just advisory – they give operators certainty that what’s shown is valid under the law.
In short: NAAS replaces route-by-route guesswork with a network-wide view of access. What once took weeks of back-and-forth now takes minutes and gives far more visibility across the entire network.
Rolling out across Australia
Of course, scaling up NAAS is no small feat. It has to align with multiple governments, hundreds of councils, and a whole range of vehicle types.
That’s why the rollout is incremental. It begins with performance-based standards (PBS) vehicles in Tasmania, then expands to defence, oversize/overmass vehicles and cranes across other states and territories. More areas and vehicle types will come online gradually.
One important note: Permits won’t disappear and they’re not meant to. NAAS is designed to reduce the number of movements that need a permit, not replace the permit system entirely. For certain cranes or roads, you will still need to apply for a permit. But as NAAS grows, more routine access will be handled instantly through the system.
What NAAS doesn’t do (yet)
To set clear expectations:
• Some cranes simply won’t be able to access certain parts of the network with or without permits. There are lots of reasons for this such as bridge capacity or space constraints,
• The NAAS will not magically provide access to all roads and bridges. It will, however, show you where the pinch points are quickly to allow you to discuss access with the road manager, research alternative routes or vehicles, or apply for a permit.
• Road managers remain central. Their rules, conditions, and expertise are what NAAS displays making access transparent for everyone.
NAAS streamlines the access process, automating where appropriate, while leaving decisions for the highly complex moves where they belong.
Looking Ahead
The long-term vision for NAAS is big: a truly national, digital access system for heavy vehicles. One that reduces duplication, improves safety, and makes life easier for operators and road managers alike.
For cranes, that means:
• Less waiting.
• Fewer headaches.
• More certainty when planning jobs.
The rollout will take time, and the network will grow in stages. Some areas will come online sooner than others, but every step forward reduces complexity and brings more benefits.
As one industry spokesperson put it:
“NAAS is about reducing red tape while maintaining safety, improving national consistency, and giving both industry and road managers the tools they need.”
The bottom line
Moving cranes has always been one of the toughest challenges in transport. With NAAS, that challenge gets a little easier.
It won’t remove every permit. It won’t open every road. But it will provide faster answers, clearer rules, improved flexibility and a growing national solution to help crane operators get the job done with more certainty and confidence.