‘Maverick’ approach hits overloaders where it hurts

Costly downtime forces greater compliance KEVIN MAYHEW FREE STATE traffic authorities have broken ranks in their campaign against overloaders. They are continuing to force vehicles that pass through their Kroonstad weighbridge with a mass overload on total vehicle or combination mass of between 2-5% to offload rather than merely cautioning offenders. A mere caution promoted overloading and increased payload profits at the expense of a safe road infrastructure, according to Free State director: Traffic Management, Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, Sherman Amos. The move was undertaken after consultation with the Road Freight Association and the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Free State. Existing national prosecution guidelines- presently under review - make prosecution possible only when a vehicle is 5% or more over its legal total mass limit. Free State province introduced the new measures, which mean a roadside offload onto another vehicle even if overloaded between 2 - 5% at Kroonstad. “Offenders between 2-5% are not prosecuted but have to contend with the costly down time of waiting to offload onto another vehicle before proceeding. That is more effective than just a R500 admission of guilt fine. We are content that the measures we have taken are achieving the desired results,” says Amos. The average overload measured at Kroonstad weighbridge has dropped since the increased focus on overload control was introduced. The average overload for May 2003 of 2 551 kgs, dropped to 1 180kgs in June when the increased focus was initiated and has reduced even further to 800kgs in July. In terms of the power and duties imposed on a traffic officer by the National Road Traffic Act, a traffic officer must prohibit the operation of an overloaded vehicle or combination of vehicles on a public road until the mass has been reduced or adjusted to comply with the National Road Traffic Act. “By requiring vehicles that are overloaded between 2-5% to correct their load, the Free State traffic officers are merely performing a duty that is required of them in terms of the Act, not by prosecuting but by prohibiting the further use of the vehicle on a public road,” concludes Amos.