Some real world figures on overloading.

The statisticians tell us that around 80% of the vans on the road are overloaded. We’re not sure how large a sample that is based upon but it’s an alarming figure.

In the world of real vans, real weights and real drivers, one of our customers has established his own level of overloading and, whilst the sample figure is relatively low, the incidence of overloading is high.

As part of their drive to ensure they are operating legally, one of the major utility companies bought some portable weighpads from us last year. With a number of depots around the company, the Transport Manager wanted to have a weighing facility in his car to do on site spot checks and driver training.

The perfect application for weighpads incidentally.

Axtec OnBoard Load Indicator - preventing van overloads

During a recent exercise at one of his depots, he weighed 60 vehicles before they left for work. Alarmingly, he found 40 of them were overloaded. That’s two-thirds of them.

Some were only slightly over the legal limit but some were seriously overloaded, one or two approaching 300kg overweight. A significant figure on a 3.5t van and well within the area that could attract a prosecution.

The reasons were the usual ones given by drivers such as not clearing scrap from the van after a job, keeping ‘one-extra’  spare component in the back just in case etc. These are common, daily occurrences for many operators. All avoidable but all could possibly lead to a prohibition, prosecution, and a fine.

And with overloading adversely affecting the brakes, steering, clutch suspension, tyres, fuel consumption etc, all of which are not cheap, not to mention possibly invalidating the insurance in the event of an accident, overloading your vans is something to be avoided.

If overloading is something you would like to discuss a resolution to in detail, come and see us at CV Show next week where you’ll find us on stand 5A79.

Nothing like seeing it demonstrated

Having vast experience in axle weighing means that we know all about the see-saw effect.

But not everyone, including some that have been in transport a long time are aware of what can happen when the load is incorrectly positioned on the vehicle.

A training exercise for transport and depot managers at one of the major builders merchants produced an interesting reaction from those attending when we showed them what happened.

Placing a set of portable weighpads, correctly set up and on flat level ground, beneath the front axle of a 2-axle rigid we then got them to place a couple of pallets of bricks right behind the cab. With plenty of space left on the load bed our audience were genuinely surprised to learn that the vehicle was now illegal because the front axle was overloaded.

We then put some pallets behind the back axle. And again there was genuine surprise when everyone learnt that, even though the overall weight had increased, the vehicle was now legal.

Weighpads - great for driver and operator training.

The action of putting load behind the back axle had caused the front axle weight to decrease.

The see-saw effect nicely demonstrated.

The issue of load distribution is often overlooked even by those with a great deal of experience in managing a fleet of vehicles but it is high point loads that cause most damage to the road surface.

Which is why there is a national network of axle weighbridges to check not only gross weight, but individual axle weights as well.

A vehicle can be well within its maximum gross weight but could be operating illegally because the distribution of the load is incorrect.

This is often a problem for operators with diminishing loads. The vehicle leaves the yard perfectly legal but as weight is removed from the rear, it is vital that the driver redistributes the load or the front axle can become overloaded.

As we said, even those with great experience may not be aware of this and have to have it demonstrated to them.

If you think your staff could benefit from some free axle weight training, feel free to get in touch.