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Authorities crack down on overloaded trucks in NTB
Authorities in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province are cracking down on overloaded trucks, which are thought to be a major cause of road damage, an official says
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uthorities in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province are cracking down on overloaded trucks, which are thought to be a major cause of road damage, an official says.
NTB Transportation, Communications and Information Office head Ridwan Syah told The Jakarta Post that his office had coordinated with several agencies to inspect trucks at the Bertias weigh station in Mataram on Aug. 5 and 6.
He said the team issued sanctions against overloaded trucks, regardless of size, in line with the 2009 Law on Traffic and Land Transportation.
"The operation was aimed at taking action against vehicles that violated their dimensions and carrying loads. We will conduct on the spot inspections as a deterrent," Ridwan said. Violators could face a maximum sentence of two months in prison or fines of up to Rp 500,000 (US$56) in accordance with articles 306 and 169 of the law.
He said the inspection team had involved the NTB Police, Mataram Prosecutor's Office and the Mataram District Court.
He said on the spot inspections were necessary because the weigh station did not have a facility to store confiscated goods, he added.
Trucks hauling excessive cargo have been blamed for accelerating road wear.
"The government has announced that nationally, 30 percent of road damage in Java, Bali and NTB is caused by overloaded trucks," he said.
For example, a road which should last for five years becomes damaged within three years, he said. It can cost up to Rp 2 billion to repave one kilometer of road.
"Prevention is better. We can prevent or stall the acceleration of road damage by tightening supervision of trucks," Ridwan said.
NTB Transportation, Communications and Information Office overland transportation division head Agung Hartono said that 4,192 trucks of various sizes entering Gerimak weigh station in July were at least 25 percent overloaded.
NTB currently has two national standard and computerised weigh stations - Gerimak and Poto Tano in West Sumbawa.
Agung said that most overloaded trucks came from outside of the province.
"They usually come from Java or Bali. The question is, how do they slip past the weigh stations in Java and Bali," he said.
