Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho discussed curbing overloadedtrucks on the roads with Dat Viet (Vietnamese Land ) e-newspaper.
*Moreweighing stations have been installed to reduce overloaded trucks onthe roads. Yet, drivers have used tricks to skip being weighed at thestations, even driving quickly past the weighing stations. Do you thinkthe effort has been as effective as expected?
Controlling theloads of vehicles is a necessary activity and checking should occurregularly. Overloaded trucks damage roads and threaten the safety ofeveryone driving on the roads.
As authorities have tightenedtheir controls of overloaded trucks this year, the number of roadaccidents decreased. In the first four months of this years, the numberof people who died in road accidents was 160 fewer than in the sameperiod last year. This is a visible result of the effort.
Theministry also expected that controlling truck loads would help create amore competitive environment in the transportation sector and curb thefrequency of transport firms paying bribes to police to allow theiroverloaded trucks to travel on the roads.
Also, TransportMinister Dinh La Thang has urged improving connections among differenttypes of transportation, including railway and waterways, to reduce theburden on the roads. Road transportation makes up 94 to 95 percent ofthe nation's total transportation demands. Transport firms have recentlyasked for more studies to find ways to take advantage of differencetypes of transportation.
Previously, iron, steel and cement wereusually transported on the roads, but now they have shifted to thewaterways. I think that this is an initial success for the measurescurbing overload trucks.
*The tightening of controls onoverloaded trucks is being blamed for increased transport costs.Particularly, this adds a burden for farmers, who have their productscarried by trucks. Do you think this is correct?
Beginning lastyear we tightened control on overloaded trucks. The number of overloadedtrucks on the roads has been reduced regularly. 15 or 16 out of every100 trucks examined at weighing stations were found to be overloaded.
I don't think that tightening control on overloaded trucks could lead to push up transportation costs.
Goodsowners and transportation firms usually agree with set transportationprices, but drivers loaded excessive goods so they could earn moreprofits.
I believe that about 70 percent of the transportationfirms and goods owners are aware of the efficiency of the loadingcontrol policy. Those remaining are still intentionally violatingregulations by choosing other roads to avoid weighing stations orrushing past the stations. I think that this is a short-term response.
*What measures has the ministry taken to decrease the number of overloaded trucks on the roads?
Synchronousmeasures are needed. It is necessary to raise public awareness on theissue, particularly among transport firms. At the same time, the loadscarried by vehicles would be examined right at railway stations, seaports, mining sites and construction sites to avoid overloading, asVietnam has regulations on the loading and unloading of types of goods.
We also plan to boost inspections on roads and at weighing stations.
However, the number of weighing stations across the country isnot enough. There are only two fixed weighing stations in Dau Giay andQuang Ninh, plus tens of mobile weighing stations.
The ministryis planning to call for investment under a Build-Operation-Transfercontract to build weighing stations at all toll stations nationwide.
Theministry also called for further co-operation from local authorities inthe provinces and cities, because overloaded vehicles cannot run onlyon national highways. They have to run on provincial or local roads,which are managed by local authorities.-VNA
*Moreweighing stations have been installed to reduce overloaded trucks onthe roads. Yet, drivers have used tricks to skip being weighed at thestations, even driving quickly past the weighing stations. Do you thinkthe effort has been as effective as expected?
Controlling theloads of vehicles is a necessary activity and checking should occurregularly. Overloaded trucks damage roads and threaten the safety ofeveryone driving on the roads.
As authorities have tightenedtheir controls of overloaded trucks this year, the number of roadaccidents decreased. In the first four months of this years, the numberof people who died in road accidents was 160 fewer than in the sameperiod last year. This is a visible result of the effort.
Theministry also expected that controlling truck loads would help create amore competitive environment in the transportation sector and curb thefrequency of transport firms paying bribes to police to allow theiroverloaded trucks to travel on the roads.
Also, TransportMinister Dinh La Thang has urged improving connections among differenttypes of transportation, including railway and waterways, to reduce theburden on the roads. Road transportation makes up 94 to 95 percent ofthe nation's total transportation demands. Transport firms have recentlyasked for more studies to find ways to take advantage of differencetypes of transportation.
Previously, iron, steel and cement wereusually transported on the roads, but now they have shifted to thewaterways. I think that this is an initial success for the measurescurbing overload trucks.
*The tightening of controls onoverloaded trucks is being blamed for increased transport costs.Particularly, this adds a burden for farmers, who have their productscarried by trucks. Do you think this is correct?
Beginning lastyear we tightened control on overloaded trucks. The number of overloadedtrucks on the roads has been reduced regularly. 15 or 16 out of every100 trucks examined at weighing stations were found to be overloaded.
I don't think that tightening control on overloaded trucks could lead to push up transportation costs.
Goodsowners and transportation firms usually agree with set transportationprices, but drivers loaded excessive goods so they could earn moreprofits.
I believe that about 70 percent of the transportationfirms and goods owners are aware of the efficiency of the loadingcontrol policy. Those remaining are still intentionally violatingregulations by choosing other roads to avoid weighing stations orrushing past the stations. I think that this is a short-term response.
*What measures has the ministry taken to decrease the number of overloaded trucks on the roads?
Synchronousmeasures are needed. It is necessary to raise public awareness on theissue, particularly among transport firms. At the same time, the loadscarried by vehicles would be examined right at railway stations, seaports, mining sites and construction sites to avoid overloading, asVietnam has regulations on the loading and unloading of types of goods.
We also plan to boost inspections on roads and at weighing stations.
However, the number of weighing stations across the country isnot enough. There are only two fixed weighing stations in Dau Giay andQuang Ninh, plus tens of mobile weighing stations.
The ministryis planning to call for investment under a Build-Operation-Transfercontract to build weighing stations at all toll stations nationwide.
Theministry also called for further co-operation from local authorities inthe provinces and cities, because overloaded vehicles cannot run onlyon national highways. They have to run on provincial or local roads,which are managed by local authorities.-VNA
