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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Weight rule brings down truck overload cases

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By Fahad Al Ghadani — MUSCAT: Feb. 26 - The number of cases of truck overload has reduced in the last two years, said the Ministry of Transport and Communication (MoTC). In a statement, the ministry said the overloading of trucks was a safety hazard for motorists. Statistics, however, show the number of violations dipping. The MoTC said more weighing stations are likely to come up on different roads across the Sultanate, including Bidbid-Sur, Al Batinah Express Road and Adam-Thamrait Road. While the 25 per cent weight progressive factor is currently in force, a study is underway for implementing the weight rule without the progressive factor, said the ministry.


It said work is underway in collaboration with the Royal Oman Police (ROP) to implement the truck excess load control system using the mobile weight taking system. The ministry said it was using technical means to develop and control the road networks through the road management system. Companies dealing with cement, crushers, mining, marble and shipping have voiced concerns over the new regulation. As per Article No 37 of the Executive Regulation of the Traffic Law issued by a Royal Decree, transporters will be deemed to be violating rules depending upon axial weights and not on gross weight of the truck. According to the ministry, the maximum load of each truck driven with a single axle should not exceed eight tonnes.


At the same time, the gross maximum weight of any vehicle driven with non-single axis should not exceed 13 tonnes. The ideal gross weight of any tandem axle of any vehicle should not be more than 21 tonnes as per the new regulation. The total gross weight of any vehicle driven by a tri-axle should not exceed 32 tonnes. In 2015, 68 per cent of trucks on the country’s roads were found violating the weight rule, according to the ministry.


Statistics indicate out of the 18,260 trucks weighed last year, 12,410 were found violating the rule. Most violations were recorded on Al Rusayl-Nizwa Road followed by Al Batinah Road. The highest number of violations (1,290 trucks) was recorded in December.


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