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NLEX Corp is ramping up its anti-overloading operations
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The tollway operator is now implementing the 33-ton weight limit on the Candaba Viaduct Southbound while repairs are ongoing
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More than 8,000 were issued traffic tickets at the expressways for violating the anti-overloading provision in Republic Act 8794
NLEX Corp is intensifying its anti-overloading operations, including implementing the 33-ton weight limit on the Candaba Viaduct Southbound while repairs are ongoing.
In a statement, NLEX said its teams are positioned at strategic entry points to weigh vehicles and determine their compliance with Republic Act 8794 or “An Act Imposing a Motor Vehicle User’s Charge on Owners of all Types of Motor Vehicle and for Other Purposes.”
They also prohibit the entry of vehicles carrying loose construction aggregates not leveled and/or improperly covered as stated in the Toll Regulatory Board Revised Safety Rules and Regulations.
NLEX said the intensified operations will help reduce the risk of accidents attributed to overloading and boost road safety since overloaded vehicles damage road surfaces with their excess weight.
In addition, the tollway company is implementing stringent measures in line with ongoing safety repair of the Candaba Viaduct Southbound.
Loaded trucks, trailers, and other heavy equipment weighing 33 tons and above (12-wheelers and up) are barred from passing through the bridge to preserve the structure and repair damage to its deck and girders.
For the first half of the year, more than 8,000 were issued traffic tickets at the expressways for violating the anti-overloading provision under RA 8794.
The law specifies vehicle load limits and imposes a penalty on trucks and trailers for loading beyond their prescribed gross vehicle weight and axle load exceeding 13.5 tons.
Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda supported the intensified anti-overloading operations and gathered truckers and relevant agencies to agree on the said weight limit.
“We are delighted that truckers in Pampanga, thru the efforts of Governor Pineda, have signified their willingness to comply with the weight limits on our expressways,” said NLEX Corp President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista, noting that “the anti-overloading program aims to uphold safety by restricting overloaded vehicles from entering the expressways or by asking them to go to the nearest exit point as the extra load may affect vehicle control, thus, cause accidents and endanger other motorists.”
Earlier AMH Philippines, NLEX Corp.’s engineering consultant, said subjecting the Candaba Viaduct to heavy loads more than what the bridge was designed for is causing continuous cyclical fatigue stress, affecting condition of the five-kilometer bridge.
For more than 40 years, the Candaba Viaduct has served as a vital transport link between Metro Manila and the provinces in Central and North Luzon.
Besides stricter enforcement of regulations, NLEX also conducted roadshows and dialogues with various transport groups and local government units regarding the heightened drive against overloaded vehicles and educate them on proper loading and other safety rules.
NLEX Corp is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp, the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp.
