BAGUIO CITY—NLEX Corp. has urged truckers to strictly comply with the load limit being imposed along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway to prevent delays in the delivery of basic goods from here to the various markets in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
Engineer Fernando Autor, assistant vice president of NLEX Corp’s project management department, said they are currently implementing the 13.5 tons per axle load limit of trucks passing through the expressways, but there still are a number of truckers being apprehended for overloading.
“We reiterate our appeal to our truckers to make sure that they comply with the existing load limit being imposed along our expressways, to prevent the untoward delays in the transport of basic goods to the markets not only in Metro Manila but also in other parts of the country,” Autor said.
“We do not give any warning to violators because they had been made aware of the regulation a number of years back,” he stressed.
Tollway companies in the country, Autor said, are not so strict about the load limit, considering that the 13.5 tons per axle limit is much higher compared to the 8 to 9 tons limit being implemented along expressways in other countries.
One of the negative effects of the passing of overloaded trucks on the expressways is the rapid deterioration of the surface that requires constant maintenance, he said. With the cooperation of truckers, the expressways will be able to reach their projected economic life, Autor added.
While NLEX Corp. understands the desire of traders to load their trucks more to address the needs of consumers, Autor explained there is a need to balance the interest of the traders and the interest of investors for the operation and maintenance of expressways to guarantee the good condition of these major roads.
NLEX Corp. now manages the operation and maintenance of the SCTEX and NLEX, which are now inter-connected with the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) that is expected to be completed by the end of this year.