On Vietnamese roads, it’s common to see trucks carrying bulky goods. Sometimes, these goods are stacked high, exceeding the truck bed’s dimensions, posing a risk to traffic safety and violating the law. To ensure safety and order in transportation, Vietnamese law has enacted specific and detailed regulations on truck bed sizes. However, not everyone is fully aware of these regulations. This article from Xe Tải Mỹ Đình experts will provide comprehensive and easy-to-understand information on this crucial topic.
Factors Determining Truck Bed Size
Truck bed size is not a fixed number but directly depends on the truck model and the payload capacity designed by the manufacturer. Truck payload capacity, also known as load capacity, is the maximum weight of goods a truck can safely and efficiently carry, as inspected and certified by the vehicle registration authority.
Information about payload and truck bed dimensions is clearly stated in the Certificate of Technical Safety and Environmental Protection, issued for each vehicle type, whether it’s a fully imported or domestically assembled truck. Understanding this information helps vehicle owners and drivers choose the appropriate vehicle for their transportation needs while complying with the law.
To provide a clearer picture, let’s look at some examples of common truck bed sizes in the market:
- Small trucks under 1 ton: These typically have relatively compact bed sizes, around 2.2m x 1.5m x 1.5m (Length x Width x Height). This is an ideal choice for light trucks like Suzuki 750kg, Thaco Towner 990Kg, Kenbo 990Kg, Dongben, suitable for transporting light goods over short distances within urban areas.
- Trucks from 1 ton to 2 tons: The bed size is usually slightly larger, averaging around 3.2m x 1.7m x 1.7m (Length x Width x Height). Popular models in this segment such as Hyundai Porter 150, KIA K200, Isuzu QKR 270 well meet the needs for transporting more diverse goods, from light construction materials to consumer goods.
- Trucks from 2.5 tons to 3.5 tons: This is a widely used medium-sized truck segment. The bed size usually varies in length from 3.5m to 4.5m, width from 1.7m to 1.8m, and a height of about 1.7m. Models like Hyundai N250, Mighty 75S, Hyundai HD72, KIA K250L, Isuzu NPR, Hino XZU comply with these standards, ensuring flexible and efficient cargo capacity.
- Trucks over 5 tons to 18 tons: For heavy-duty trucks like Chenglong, Howo, Faw, Hyundai, Hino, regulations on truck bed dimensions are also strictly enforced to ensure safety and compatibility with traffic infrastructure. Manufacturers always adhere to the maximum allowable size limits to ensure stable vehicle operation and prevent hazards to other people and vehicles.
In addition to bed dimensions, there are also general regulations regarding truck sizes to note:
- Overall vehicle height: Must not exceed 4 meters.
- Height of trucks under 5 tons: Must be less than or equal to ≤ 175WT (WT is the center distance between the two outer rear wheels to the road surface).
- Rear overhang: Must not exceed 60% of the wheelbase of the vehicle.
Detailed Regulations on Cargo Height Limits for Trucks
Besides truck bed dimensions, cargo height is also a crucial factor clearly regulated in Circular 46/2015/TT-BGTVT, specifically in Article 18. This regulation aims to control cargo stacking height, preventing vehicles from carrying excessively high loads, which can cause imbalance and danger when moving, especially on bends, tunnels, or in strong winds.
Below are the detailed regulations on cargo height:
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Open-top trucks with tarps: The allowed cargo height is the height limit within the truck bed according to the manufacturer’s design or approved modified design. This means that goods are not allowed to be stacked higher than the tarpaulin cover of the truck.
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Open-top trucks without tarps: For trucks without tarps, if the cargo is stacked higher than the truck bed, it must be securely lashed, braced, and chocked to ensure safety during transportation. However, the cargo height must still comply with the maximum limit, measured from the highest point of the road surface upwards:
- Vehicles with a payload of 5 tons or more: Cargo height must not exceed 4.2 meters.
- Vehicles with a payload from 2.5 tons to under 5 tons: Cargo height must not exceed 3.5 meters.
- Vehicles with a payload under 2.5 tons: Cargo height must not exceed 2.8 meters.
- Special-purpose vehicles and container trucks: Cargo height measured from the highest point of the road surface upwards must not exceed 4.35 meters.
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Trucks carrying bulk cargo, construction materials: For goods such as soil, rocks, sand, gravel, coal, ore, or similar goods, the cargo height must not exceed the height of the truck bed as recorded in the Vehicle Registration Certificate of Technical Safety and Environmental Protection.
Penalties for Violating Truck Bed Size and Cargo Height Regulations
Violating regulations on truck bed size and cargo height not only endangers oneself and others but also incurs penalties according to the law. Decree 100/2019/NĐ-CP clearly stipulates the penalties for these violations.
Here are some common penalties related to violations of size and cargo height regulations:
- Motorbikes: Carrying goods exceeding the prescribed limits is fined from 400,000 to 600,000 VND.
- Bicycles: Carrying goods exceeding the prescribed limits is fined from 80,000 to 100,000 VND.
- Animal-drawn vehicles: Carrying goods exceeding the prescribed limits is fined from 100,000 to 200,000 VND.
- Trucks, tractors carrying goods on the roof of the truck bed; carrying goods exceeding the width of the truck bed; carrying goods extending beyond the front or rear of the truck bed by more than 10% of the vehicle length: Fined from 600,000 to 800,000 VND.
- Trucks (including trailers and semi-trailers) carrying goods exceeding the allowed cargo height: Fined from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 VND.
Building Truck Beds with Incorrect Height: Consequences and Penalties
In addition to carrying oversized cargo, building truck beds that do not meet regulations, especially regarding bed height, is also a violation of the law and will be penalized. Unauthorized changes to the truck bed dimensions compared to the original design can affect the load capacity, stability, and safety of the vehicle during operation.
The penalty for building truck beds that do not meet regulations can be quite severe, ranging from 4,000,000 VND to 8,000,000 VND. Therefore, vehicle owners should be extremely careful and comply with regulations when needing to build new or modify truck beds.
To ensure your truck bed always meets standards and complies with all regulations, contact Xe Tải Mỹ Đình immediately via phone number 0919 590 092 (Mr. Hữu). We are experts in the truck field, ready to advise and assist you in choosing the most suitable truck bed, ensuring compliance with the law and optimizing transportation efficiency.
