LTO taps PNCC to enforce anti-overloading law

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is set to deputize the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) to pave the way for its stricter implementation of the anti-overloading law beginning this month.

The PNCC’s traffic enforcement officers have undergone appropriate training in compliance with LTO requirements for effective enforcement of Republic Act 8794, embodying the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC).

"Enforcement of the anti-overloading law will be properly conducted by our newly-trained officers in designated areas. Their training included the accurate use of new portable weighing scales so that any routine check or apprehension will be correctly and fairly implemented," explained Vic del Rosario, PNCC operations division head.

Inspection stations will be set up at different portions and exit points of the North Luzon Expressway (NLE) to ferret out overloaded trucks and trailers. The portable scales feature computerized readouts of the exact weight of the apprehended vehicles.

"We want to ensure the safety of all motorists traveling along the NLE, and one of the best ways to do this is to ensure that trucks and trailers carry just the right load," said Del Rosario.

To complement the anti-overloading campaign, the PNCC has also launched an information and education campaign entitled "Safe tayo sa road kung tama ang load" to emphasize the benefits of proper loading and to warn motorists of the dangers of overloading.

Pursuant to R.A. 8794 enacted by Congress in 2000, trucks and trailers which carry loads exceeding their prescribed maximum allowable gross vehicle weight (GVW) shall be fined an amount equivalent to 25 percent of the corresponding MVUC.

An information flyer containing a list of truck and trailer types with corresponding number of axles and maximum allowable GVW will be distributed by the PNCC at toll plazas of the expressway.

Trucks and trailers with dual-wheel axle loads exceeding 13,500 kg or with vehicle loads exceeding 150 percent of their maximum allowable GVW are considered dangerously overloaded, and would be apprehended.

"We are announcing the campaign so that truck drivers and, more importantly, truck owners and operators, will have time to adjust and prepare. We encourage them to carry the right amount of load according to their axle capacity and to properly secure their cargo. This way, their vehicles and the other users of the NLE will reach their destinations safe and sound," Del Rosario said.