In the past few years, tractor manufacturers have made numerous changes to tractors as required by EU law. Various emissions standards are the most recent of these but from January 1st 2018, a new EU regulation will take effect governing a wide swathe of tractor design to make them safer for the operator.
What is TMR?
TMR stands for Tractor Mother Regulation. First published on 5 February 2013, this EU type approval (167/2013) comes into effect on January 1st 2018 with the aim or harmonising production standards for tractor manufacturers across the EU. TMR is a European regulation governing the approval framework for agricultural and forestry vehicles such as tractors, trailers and towed equipment. Tractors will however form the core focus of TMR. This should lead to higher tractor production standards across Europe and lower manufacturing costs for tractor companies. Similar components will be used across a number of tractor makes but from the investigations the Irish Farmers Journal has made, tractor prices look like they will actually rise in some instances.
What tractors does it affect and in what way?
It covers all types of new tractors registered from January 1st 2018 in all power categories. Any tractor registered from this date will have to comply with these requirements unless it is part of a derogation secured by the FTMTA.
This derogation will allow for non-TMR tractors to be sold in 2018, i.e. those tractors in importer’s or dealer’s yards that are non-TMR not yet registered. This has been calculated as 10% of total tractor sales for each brand for the two year period between 1st October 2015 and 30th September 2017.
The upper derogation limit of 10% or “carry-over” cannot be exceeded but gives all manufacturers selling in Ireland a chance to sell some non-TMR tractors in 2018. Plus, this is not a recent decision from the EU. All tractor manufacturers have known this was coming for a long time, with some companies having little or no requirement for the derogation as they have been making changes to the tractors coming into Ireland for a number of months if not longer.
However, it is also worth noting that those with surplus tractor derogation for their individual brand are not allowed to share this with other companies that may need it to avoid pre-registering tractors at the end of 2017.
In addition to this, an important distinction must be made. Type-approval governs the product in how it is manufactured but each country within the EU including Ireland reserves the rights to govern speed limits, weights, size, etc.
For example, if a tractor is manufactured in 2018 under the TMR with a top speed of 60km/h, it must still obey the speed limits for agricultural tractors for the country it is registered in.
Why is it being introduced?
It has been introduced to increase road safety, operator safety and environmental standards for tractors. Some of the aspects of the vehicle it will cover include the following:
Mirrors: tractors must now be fitted with double external mirrors on each side: one to see rearwards as was standard and one facing towards the ground at an angle to see the area to the side of the tractor in the operator’s blind-spot. Therefore, all new tractors will have two external mirrors on either side.
Brakes: Either dual-line hydraulic or air brakes must be fitted to the tractor. Previously, it was just tractors capable of 50km/h that were fitted with hydraulic and compulsory air brakes. All those slower than this had a single-line hydraulic braking connection. Now, a new braking configuration has entered the tractor world for Irish tractor owners. Dual-line hydraulic brakes use the normal hydraulic braking outlet and a second hydraulic brake line. This second hydraulic line applies the brakes in the trailer when the tractor is switched off. This takes the a lot of pressure off the tractor’s handbrake or parking brake when the combination is parked and releases them again when the tractor is started.
Tractors fitted with these braking systems can still tow traditional single-line hydraulically braked trailers, slurry-tankers, sprayers, etc. Both dual-line air and dual-line hydraulic braking systems comply with the TMR regulations. Some companies have chosen dual-line hydraulic and some companies have chosen dual-line air brakes for their tractors.
The issue, however, is that a lot of the trailed equipment in Ireland is primarily designed to accept single-line hydraulic or more recently dual-line air – not dual-line hydraulic. One has to wonder how quickly machinery companies manufacturing trailed equipment will begin to offer dual-line hydraulic braking systems in addition to the option of dual-line air brakes.
Engine access
Access to all engines can only be made with a key or tool to release the bonnet. Some farmers welcome this as it deters vandals and makes the engine and its components more secure from unwelcome visitors. The key or tool has to be sent with the tractor. Some companies have offered this for a number of years, so it’s not such an imposition to add this requirement to a tractor.
Operator safety
Operator safety is divided into three categories: requirements for the functional safety of vehicles, occupational safety and environmental performance. There are numerous requirements under each of these headings. Some of these requirements are in the cab. Sharp corners and rough surfaces are to be reduced to avoid operator injury and are covered under “protection of driver against penetrating objects (Operator Protection Structures, (OPS))”.
More warning stickers will be visible in the cab and around the tractor for operator protection. Outside, the maximum external sound level is not to exceed 89dB(A) and by 2020, ABS braking will be mandatory on tractors.
In addition to all of this, existing ROPS (Roll Over Protection System) and FOPS (Fall Over Protection System) guidelines must be maintained and not compromised. For companies not already offering it, automatic PTO disengagement when the operator leaves the seat will also be required.
What will be different about the tractors?
It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, depending on tractor specification. Some manufacturers will have to make substantial changes in specification whereas others have these requirements, such as air brakes, standard equipment on their tractors. These changes are already visible on tractors with double mirrors common on a lot of tractors recently registered.
Can I buy a 2018-registered tractor produced before 1 January 2018?
You can, provided the tractor specification meets all the requirements of TMR as set out in EU Mother Regulation 2013/167. If it doesn’t, you need to check with your dealer or the person you buy it from that it is part of the 10% derogation of tractors that are permitted to be registered in 2018 that are not TMR-compliant.
Gary Ryan, CEO of the FTMTA, said that “the bulk of the issue will be dealt with by the derogation obtained by FTMTA which will allow continued registration in 2018 of a certain quantity of these tractors”.
How much will it cost?
It varies a lot. Some manufacturers are saying it will add little to the cost of the tractor as not many changes are required. Others have to make substantial price increases to cover the costs of the new requirements if, for example, air brakes are required.
These changes are part of the increased specification levels that more and more tractors are coming with. Already, some tractor manufacturers have imported TMR-compatible tractors into Ireland.
If I’m buying a new tractor in 2018, what do I need to look out for?
Firstly, check with the salesperson or garage if it is a TMR or non-TMR tractor. Secondly, if it is part of the 10% derogation of tractors that are carried over from 2017, ask for proof.
Are there any other changes I should be aware of?
From 1 January 2018, tractor manufacturers must give “access to vehicle repair and maintenance information to authorised dealers, repairers and independent operators through websites using a standardised format in a readily accessible and prompt manner”.
What this basically means is any information that is recorded by a tractor during its time in operation is available to the owner, operator and any person designated by the owner to repair the tractor. It is not just the manufacturer that owns the information anymore.
This can include wiring diagrams, all information to install and update new software and data recording information. But, like all things in life, “Manufacturers may charge reasonable and proportionate fees for access to vehicle repair and maintenance information, working tools and training courses covered by this regulation”.
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