Vehicle Overloading: A Heavyweight Issue

Weighing company Avery Weigh-Tronix has recently issued a guide to avoiding vehicle overloading. The guide aims to help ensure vehicles do not exceed their maximum permissible weight, improving road safety and reducing the likelihood of costly prohibitions.

93% of vans overloaded

In September 2013, VOSA issued the Your Van: Best Practice Guide. Hot on the heels of their guide to HGV drivers and operators, the guide offers LGV operators advice on running roadworthy and cost-effective van operations. Amongst issues such as driver hours and roadworthiness, the report highlighted that a massive 93% of vans were found to be overloaded, a figure which highlights the importance of ensuring vehicles are weighed accurately.

VOSA Enforcement

Colin Smith from Avery Weigh-Tronix commented, “The VOSA guide, combined with the recent increase in fines and the figures published in the latest VOSA report which showed a sharp increase in prohibitions, serve as a warning to fleet operators that there is a greater risk of overloaded vehicles being detected on UK roads.

“VOSA has been investing in new technology and is now pinpointing non-compliant vehicles much more precisely.  This aligns with the strategy outlined by VOSA in its annual business plan of balancing enforcement interventions with educational initiatives.

Guide to avoiding overloading

“At Avery Weigh-Tronix, we’re keen to ensure that fleet operators have easy access to information about overloading. We’ve produced our guide about avoiding vehicle overloading to reinforce the valuable information supplied by VOSA, while honing in on one of the key issues that they have identified as being an issue.”

The guide covers both the financial and safety implications of overloading, enforcement and simple steps that can be taken to ensure that vehicles comply with overloading regulations.

Do you qualify for a free, no obligation overloading audit? Contact us to find out.