KeNHA warns truck owners tampering with axle loads

By Standard Reporter

Nairobi, Kenya: The National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has warned transporter and truck owners that they risk heavy fines or jail for tampering with axle loads. KeNHA Manager in charge of Axle Load Engineer Muita Ngatia said the crack down on lift and dummy axles was on in a bid to protect roads.

 Ngatia said most of the lift axles fitted on trucks were mulfunctional as drivers in a bid to deceive weighbridge inspectors deliberately tamper with them.

“Dummy axles are fitted locally after a vehicle has been registered. They do not have an automatic drop down mechanism hence only deceive weighbridge inspectors,” he said.

Parliamentary Chairman, Transport and Infrastructure Committee Maina Kamanda supported the move. Kamanda appealed to transporters to fully adhere to stipulated axle load limits to protect road investments supported him. Speaking after touring major road projects in Mombasa, Kamanda said overloading was responsible for aggravating roads countrywide and said it was time to end the vice.

He said the roll out of the standard gauge railway will help reduce the amount of cargo transported in the Northern Corridor, a move that will reduce the pressure on roads. He observed that his committee was satisfied with the efforts being undertaken by KeNHA to protect road investments. “This issue of overloading needs to be done away with. It is the responsibility of transporters too to ensure compliance to stipulated axle load limits,” Kamanda said.

Ngatia said the EAC Vehicle Load Control Act provided for the raising of the tandem axle load limit from 16 to 18 tonnes. The legislation also illegalised dummy axles on all member state roads, Ngatia said. KeNHA and Kenya Transporters Association agreed to implement the new law by June 2013.

 However, following further deliberations, the deadline was extended to April 1, this year, to give truck owners, more time to comply. “We have now started implementation and all vehicles not complying will be kept off our highways,” Ngatia said.

He explained that the move will prepare the transportation sector for legislation contained in the EAC Act. Tanzania and Malawi have already effected the legislation.  The KeNHA manager said Tanzania was already implementing the new law and urged truck owners to comply in good time.

He told the Committee that spot fines as practiced elsewhere will eliminate overloading. “Other transport agencies such as airlines, ships, railways charge for overloading. This is the way to go if we are to save time and scarce resources’, he noted.

Ngatia urged transporters to take advantage of the five per cent tolerance levels permitted by KeNHA to avoid unnecessary delays and other unwarranted disturbances.