HÀ NỘI — Certain local authorities have not paid due attention to curbing overweight trucks in their jurisdiction, leading to rampant violations and elevated accident risks, the Việt Nam Road Administration, under the Ministry of Transport (MoT), said.

The road administration added that 13 provinces – Hà Giang, Bắc Kạn, Sơn La, Đắk Nông, Bình Dương, Long An, Tiền Giang, Đồng Tháp, Trà Vinh, Cần Thơ, Kiên Giang, Sóc Trăng, and Cà Mau – still have not implemented truck weighing portable stations as part of the co-operation between police forces and transport authorities aiming at controlling overweight trucks.

According to the agency, in the last 6 months (from December 21, 2016 to June 20, 2017), statistics gathered from weighing stations (both portable and fixed) as well as from inspectorates from local departments of transport, said 147,578 trucks have been checked, 16,861 ones – or 11 per cent – violate weight regulations. 5,201 drivers have been deprived of their licences, and a total administrative fines of VNĐ139 billion (US$6.1 million) have been imposed on the offenders.

Recognising certain localities’ efforts in trying to maintain the operations of weighing stations and limiting the violations, however, the agency said the traffic police manpower remains insufficient, causing repeated offences on main routes like National Highway 1, 10, 14, and the Hồ Chí Minh Highway.

“Expansion of the truck’s load space outside of its design, improperly loaded and overweight trucks remain visible problems, causing damages to road infrastructure, adversely impacting traffic safety and the environment,” Nguyễn Văn Huyện, head of the Road Administration, said.

Non-compliant localities are urged to quickly resume the operations of weighing stations, especially in provinces home to main national roads like Hà Giang, Bắc Kạn, Sơn La in the north, and Tiền Giang and Cần Thơ in the south.

Traffic authority inspectors are tasked to conduct their inspection of trucks right in the original loading locations--ports, factories, manufacturers, or mines--and send reports of unlicensed drivers and trucks to the registrar bureau for appropriate penalties. — VNS