Knowing the tonnage of a truck is crucial for ensuring traffic safety and complying with legal regulations. So, how to identify truck tonnage accurately? This article will guide you through 3 quick and precise methods.
Traffic police officer checking truck load capacity
Why is Identifying Truck Tonnage Important?
Accurately determining truck tonnage provides several practical benefits:
- Traffic Safety: Prevents accidents caused by overloading, bridge collapses, and road damage.
- Infrastructure Protection: Reduces wear and tear and damage to roads, saving on repair costs.
- Legal Compliance: Avoids violations of tonnage regulations and penalties.
- Optimized Transportation: Choosing the right vehicle for cargo, saving fuel and transportation costs.
Distinguishing Between Load Capacity and Gross Weight
These two concepts are often confused. It’s important to clearly distinguish between them:
- Load Capacity (Tải trọng): The maximum weight a truck is allowed to carry, including cargo, people, and fuel. Exceeding the load capacity is dangerous and can damage the vehicle.
- Gross Weight (Trọng tải): The total weight of the truck when loaded with cargo, including the weight of the vehicle itself. The gross weight must be less than or equal to the allowed load capacity.
How to Identify Truck Tonnage
Truck driving on the road needs to comply with traffic regulations
Here are 3 ways to identify truck tonnage:
1. Based on Appearance: Size, Number of Axles, and Tires
For box trucks:
- 2 axles: Total gross weight not exceeding 16 tons.
- 3 axles: Total gross weight not exceeding 24 tons.
- 4 axles: Total gross weight not exceeding 30 tons.
- 5 axles: Total gross weight not exceeding 34 tons.
2. Through Technical Specifications
Observe the markings on the truck door, you will see the following information:
- Name of the vehicle owner or transport company.
- Contact phone number.
- Permitted cargo weight (tons).
- Vehicle’s own weight (tons).
- Total permitted weight of cargo and vehicle for traffic participation (tons).
3. Applying Technology
- Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) Systems: Sensor systems on the road record the weight of vehicles as they pass, helping to determine tonnage accurately without stopping the vehicle.
- GPS Devices and Transport Management Systems: Track vehicle location and speed, calculate estimated weight based on pre-determined load capacity.
Methods to identify truck tonnage
How to Calculate Truck Tonnage
Formula for calculating load capacity: Load Capacity = Gross Weight – Unladen Vehicle Weight – Weight of people in the vehicle.
However, this method may not be absolutely accurate. “Truck weighing” is a more precise method for calculating tonnage.
Checking to calculate truck gross weight
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand how to identify truck tonnage. Mastering this knowledge will help you operate trucks safely and efficiently. Contact hotline 0906.639.577 – 1900.2525.34 for further advice on trucks.
