Stricter measures vs overloaded Ecija trucks

The move will ensure that the trucks carrying overloaded items will be policed by their own ranks to save roads from damage and deterioration.

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija — The Provincial Board Council is set to pass an ordinance against overloading trucks as part of the Provincial Government’s thrust to ensure the safety of motorists.

According to Vice Governor Anthony Umali, the ordinance will formulate the weight limits, stricter sanctions, and possible alternative roads for overloaded trucks.

The said ordinance is in line with Governor Aurelio Umali’s formation of the Nueva Ecija Task Force Overloading.

The Provincial Board has agreed to refer the matter to the Committee on Housing Land Utilization and Environmental Protection and Committee on Laws to fast-track the creation of the anti-overloading measure.

“The move will ensure that the trucks carrying overloaded items will be policed by their own ranks to save roads from damage and deterioration,” he said in a local television interview.

Homer Garcia, chief of the maintenance section of the Department of Public Works and Highways Nueva Ecija First District Engineering Office, said based on their monitoring from 21 October to 14 November, out of the 3,584 dump trucks that passed by the Sta. Rosa-Tarlac Road, 1,443 were overloaded.

It has been observed that overloaded trucks cause damage to road networks.

Garcia said funds will be allotted next year for the procurement of a weighing apparatus to be put up in the province’s entry points for continuous checkpoints against overloaded trucks.

The DPWH has been coordinating with the Land Transportation Office, Highway Patrol Group and local government units to strengthen the monitoring of immoderate vehicles through the strict enforcement of the anti-overloading policy.