Effect of truck weight enforcement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Al-Abdul Wahhab, Hamad I.

 

ITE Journal , v. 63 (November 1993)

 

Abstract

 

The effect of truck weight enforcement in Saudi Arabia was studied. The road freight industry in Saudi Arabia has grown rapidly in less than 15 years, supplying basic goods, construction goods, and fuel transportation services. Truck fleet managers often overload their trucks so as to maximize their profits. Field studies conducted in 1983 indicated that 90 percent of monitored trucks were loaded between 30 percent and 300 percent more than their permissible load levels according to their classification. The study was carried out on two 6-lane highways in each of 3 major provinces of Saudi Arabia, shortly after the enforcement of truck weight limits. Four major conclusions were reached: tire pressures must be checked, violations of axle load limits must be penalized, revision of the weight limit and penalty scheduling is required, and a more rigorous enforcement program is needed

 

.Subject(s):Highway engineering; Trucks/Weight; Transportation/Saudi Arabia