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The Inland Haulers and Truckers Association is against the outright ban on loaded 12-wheeler or larger trucks on the southbound carriageway of the Candaba Viaduct now undergoing repairs
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INHTA says the 100-120 km diversion route will translate to an additional P20,000 to P25,000 trucking fee to be imposed on end consumers
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The group instead proposes the weighing of all loaded vehicles, regardless of the number of wheels, to establish whether they pass the 33-ton weight restriction
The Inland Haulers and Truckers Association (INHTA) is against the outright ban of loaded trucks with 12 wheels or more from entering the southbound carriageway of the Candaba Viaduct, saying the diversion of vehicles will translate to an additional P20,000 to P25,000 trucking fee that will be passed on to consumers.
In a letter to tollway operator NLEX Corp. dated August 18, INHTA president Teodorico Gervacio said the group instead proposed the weighing of all loaded vehicles, regardless of the number of wheels, to establish whether they pass the 33-ton weight restriction.
The letter was in response to NLEX Corp.’s August 12 letter providing truckers guidelines in using the Candaba Viaduct during its emergency repairs. Since August 1, all vehicles weighing 33 tons or are 12-wheelers and up are temporarily barred from using the southbound carriageway of the Candaba Viaduct and are diverted.
Vehicles weighing less than 33 tons (10-wheeler trucks and below) may still pass along the viaduct. Trucks with 12 wheels or more carrying empty containers may pass the southbound lanes of the viaduct but only after inspection.
The northbound carriageway of the viaduct is not affected by the selective no-entry policy.
INHTA said that while the group “generally agrees” with the tollway operator’s restriction guidelines, outright diversion of loaded trucks with 12 wheels or more “would unnecessarily force these loaded vehicles to travel at higher fuel costs, the effects of which would then be passed on to end-users, causing further inflation.”
For heavy trucks with a varied number of wheels, INHTA said this rule is “quite excessive.”
INHTA noted that during the random weighing of trucks along Mel Lopez Blvd., Tondo, Manila, conducted with the NLEX team on August 10, four of the seven loaded vehicles (tractor head with 20-foot container/trailer) weighed below the 33-ton threshold.
It was also found that a loaded 10-wheeler wing van – which is allowed to enter the Candaba Viaduct –weighed 28,250 kilograms (kg) while a 12-wheeler wing van – which is not allowed to traverse the southbound lanes of the viaduct – weighed only 27,000 kg.
“The number of wheels of a vehicle does not mean it will automatically reach the 33-ton threshold,” INHTA noted.
Instead, the group recommended weighing all loaded vehicles, regardless of the number of wheels, to check whether they weigh more than 33 tons.
“This is a sensible course of action that, in our opinion, will be advantageous to NLEX, the government, consumers and the trucking sector. Not only will it deviate (sic) worsening traffic congestion through diversion route, but it will also conserve resources,” INHTA said.
The group said that the diversion route will force loaded vehicles to traverse 100-120 km, which will require an additional P20,000 to P25,000 trucking fee can be imposed on end-consumers.
Local government units, for traffic and road management purposes, will also most likely impose additional truck bans, weighing requirements and other compliance requirements, which INHTA said will ultimately cause more problems on the part of the trucking industry.
“Again, to sustain all our efforts and operational expenses, our only recourse as a consequence of these actions, is to charge [our customers ] higher trucking rates,” INHTA said.
NLEX Corp., which operates North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) where the Candaba Viaduct is a segment, had said earlier that trucks with 12 wheels and more will be rerouted during the urgent major safety upgrade of the southbound carriageway of the viaduct.
The toll operator said inspection and reassessment of the viaduct by its engineering consultant, AMH Philippines, showed that its southbound carriageway is still being adversely affected by heavy loads and has been recommended immediate repairs to ensure the safety and long-term serviceability of the bridge.
The tollway company sees the rerouting scheme of trucks with 12 wheels and more as one of the immediate solutions to preserve the infrastructure while it conducts the safety upgrade.
It earlier said it is expediting the construction of a third viaduct, expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2024.
The company has obtained the commitment of the Department of Public Works and Highways to complete upgrading works along MacArthur Highway in Apalit, Pampanga in three months so that it can be used as a diversion route.
For the time being, the toll operator said the next viable alternate route is through the Olongapo-Gapan road to Gapan, Nueva Ecija, then through Daang Maharlika and Plaridel Bypass Road in Bulacan. – Roumina Pablo
