The perception may be that only heavy goods vehicles can be stopped at a weight checks. They are after all by definition heavy.
But in fact any vehicle can be overloaded and can be pulled
in and weighed.
Figures show that in 2012, 24 cars were weighed for
instance. And 19 of them were found to be overloaded.
Car, HGV or anything in between, overloading affects all the
major components making vehicles potentially unsafe and in danger of being
prohibited. The worst cases could end in a prosecution.
It is not unknown for the insurance on an overloaded vehicle
that has been involved in an accident to be invalidated.
 |
| Any vehicle can benefit from being weighed. |
As in all areas, technology is improving and that includes
the detection of overweight vehicles. The
installation of sensors in the road coupled to ANPR cameras ahead of
enforcement sites means that an overloaded vehicle is more likely to be
detected.
Recent statistics show that the number of these sites are now
into double figures and that number could well grow meaning that more
overloaded vehicles could be detected.
This is good news for law abiding operators in that they
ought not to be diverted from a busy day into a weight check but also because
more of those illegal transport companies will be caught.
But many operators find there are positives to weighing their
vehicles too, particularly those who err on the side of caution and underload
them.
Running vehicles at full legal weight is a good thing. It
means you are maximising the capacity and running at peak efficiency.
One of our clients found he could get a staggering 30% more
material on each vehicle after he installed his own axle weighbridge.
Imagine reducing your running time by a third.
There are plenty of systems available to prevent overloading.
Whether they are weighed back at the depot or out on the road where the load
may change throughout the day, there is a suitable system in our range to help.
And reducing the underloading can only add to your profits.
No comments:
Post a Comment