Truckers warned against lifting axles after weighbridge checks

George Ngugi, Operations Manager at Ebenezer Commercial Works, said some drivers comply with axle-load rules at Mariakani Weighbridge but raise the axles after being cleared, only lowering them near Athi River Weighbridge.

“When an axle is lifted, the extra weight is transferred to the remaining axles, causing damage to the road,” Ngugi said.

He said Mariakani Weighbridge processes about 8,000 trucks every 24 hours and records a compliance rate of 98.5 per cent.

However, compliance remains a challenge along the approximately 450-kilometre stretch between Mariakani and Athi River.

Ngugi warned that trucks found operating with lifted axles while loaded would be charged for overloading and the axle-lifting offence.

Ebenezer Commercial Works manages the Mariakani, Dongo Kundu and Mtwapa weighbridges on behalf of KeNHA.

Meanwhile, the Axle Load Enforcement Unit (ALEU) within the Kenya National Highways Authority has urged the Judiciary to met maximum fines to overloading trucks.

Assistant Director in Charge of Axle Load compliance Engineer Peter Maruti said stipulated axle load offenses were being treated as normal traffic offenses, yet the schedule is clear on fines or jail terms that should the doled to offenders.

Engineer Maruti was speaking during a sensitization meeting with Judiciary officials from Msambweni and Malindi law Courts.

He said courts  treat axle load offenses and regulations as normal traffic road offenses attracting low fines of Ksh.5000 instead of Ksh.400,000 which is the stipulated fines under the Axle load schedules.

For EAC Axle load regulations, fees is levies for overloading and is payable to KeNHA through ecitizen.

Overloading fees under EAC for gross overload is charged in dollars as per the schedule provided.

Engineer Maruti urged the courts to levy punitive fines owing to the damage factor fir each overload detected.

"KeNHA is urging courts to deal decisively with overloading offenses as they destroy road pavements along the Northern Corridor that costs billions to maintsin", Maruti.

Speaking during the event Superintendent of Police Gerald Muema pledged the National Police Service will firmly deal with rogue transporters who habitually threaten weighbridge officials.

Muema said the Police will prefer requisite criminal charges against cartels that are threatening law and order  in the enforcement of stipulated axle load limits.

KeNHA has contracted the management of weighbridges to Ebenezer Commercial Works, Danka, Gokhan and Savory Limited.

They are managing the Mariakani, Athi River, Gil Gil, Webuye, Busia and Rongo Weighbridges respectively.