To ensure traffic safety and protect road infrastructure, the Vietnamese government has issued numerous regulations regarding truck weight limits. Among these, Circular 46/2015/TT-BGTVT dated September 7, 2015, from the Ministry of Transport (GTVT), plays a key role, detailing weight limits, road clearance dimensions, and issues related to overweight and oversized vehicles. This article from Xe Tải Mỹ Đình (My Dinh Truck) will provide an overview of this latest regulation on truck weight limits, making it easy for transportation businesses and drivers to understand and comply with the rules, avoiding unnecessary violations.
I. General Regulations on Truck Weight Limits
1. Scope of Adjustment and Applicable Subjects
The latest regulation on truck weight limits – Circular 46/2015/TT-BGTVT – comprehensively regulates:
- Weight limits and clearance dimensions of roads.
- Publication of weight limits and clearance dimensions of roads.
- Operation of overweight, oversized, and tracked vehicles on roads.
- Transportation of oversized and overweight cargo.
- Loading limits on road vehicles when participating in traffic.
This Circular applies to all organizations and individuals involved in the above activities, including vehicle owners, drivers, transport businesses, road management agencies, and other relevant units.
2. Explanation of Important Terms
To understand the regulations clearly, it is important to grasp some key concepts defined in Circular 46/2015/TT-BGTVT:
- Gross vehicle weight: The weight of the vehicle itself plus the weight of goods, people, and luggage (if any).
- Axle load: The total weight of the vehicle distributed on each axle or axle group.
- Maximum permissible dimensions of the vehicle: Limits on the length, width, and height of the vehicle, including goods loaded on the vehicle.
- Tracked vehicle: A type of vehicle that moves on tracks, which can damage the road surface.
- Vehicle combination: A rigid vehicle towing a trailer or a tractor towing a semi-trailer.
- Single-axle/multi-axle trailer: Classification of trailers based on axle arrangement.
- Non-divisible cargo: Special cargo that cannot be divided into smaller parts.
- Level crossing: A road that intersects a railway at the same level.
II. Detailed Regulations on Weight Limits and Road Clearance Dimensions
1. Road Weight Limits
Road weight limits reflect the load-bearing capacity of bridges and roads, ensuring the lifespan of the infrastructure according to design. This load-bearing capacity is determined based on design documents and actual technical conditions, and is published by competent authorities or indicated by traffic signs.
2. Road Clearance Dimensions
Road clearance dimensions are the limited space in terms of height and width of roads, bridges, tunnels, and ferry landings, ensuring safe traffic for vehicles and goods.
- Height clearance:
- 4.75 meters for highways and class I, II, III roads.
- 4.5 meters for class IV roads and below.
- Width clearance: Depends on the technical level of the road and the terrain where the road is built, limiting the width of the traffic lane.
3. Publication of Weight Limits and Clearance Dimensions
The publication of road weight limits and clearance dimensions is clearly regulated regarding responsibilities:
- Vietnam Road Administration: Publishes for national highways and updates on its website.
- Department of Transport: Publishes for local roads and sends data to the Vietnam Road Administration.
- Vietnam Railway Authority: Publishes the technical condition of level crossings and sends data to the Vietnam Road Administration.
This information is updated every six months, ensuring that road users have access to the latest information.
4. Operating Vehicles in Compliance
Motor vehicles must comply with the published weight limits and clearance dimensions. On roads that have not been published, vehicle owners and drivers must comply with weight restriction signs, clearance dimension limits, and other regulations.
In case it is necessary to transport non-divisible cargo or vehicles exceeding weight limits or clearance dimensions, a Vehicle Circulation Permit is required before participating in traffic.
III. Regulations on Overweight, Oversized, and Tracked Vehicles
1. Overweight and Oversized Vehicles
- Overweight vehicle: A vehicle with a gross vehicle weight or axle load exceeding the road’s operational weight limits.
- Oversized vehicle: A vehicle with overall dimensions (length, width, height), including cargo, exceeding regulations:
- Length greater than 20 meters or 1.1 times the overall length of the vehicle.
- Width greater than 2.5 meters.
- Height greater than 4.2 meters (except for container trucks).
Special-purpose vehicles are also considered overweight or oversized if they violate the above regulations.
2. Tracked Vehicles
When participating in traffic, tracked vehicles must have measures to protect the road surface, such as installing track shoes, laying temporary steel plates, or transporting on other vehicles.
3. Conditions for Operation of Overweight, Oversized, and Tracked Vehicles
The operation of overweight, oversized, and tracked vehicles must ensure traffic safety and safety for road infrastructure. Mandatory conditions include:
- Having a Vehicle Circulation Permit issued by a competent authority.
- Strictly complying with the regulations in the Vehicle Circulation Permit.
- Absolutely not carrying goods exceeding the permissible cargo weight according to the design or Certificate of Inspection of the vehicle.
IV. Transportation of Oversized and Overweight Cargo
1. Regulations on Oversized and Overweight Cargo
- Oversized cargo: Non-divisible cargo, when loaded onto a vehicle, has dimensions exceeding:
- Length greater than 20.0 meters.
- Width greater than 2.5 meters.
- Height greater than 4.2 meters (4.35 meters for container vehicles).
- Overweight cargo: Non-divisible cargo with a weight greater than 32 tons.
2. Vehicles for Transporting Oversized and Overweight Cargo
The transportation vehicle must be suitable for the type of cargo, its dimensions, and weight, while complying with the technical specifications in the Certificate of Technical Safety and Environmental Protection Inspection of the vehicle.
3. Operating Vehicles Carrying Oversized and Overweight Cargo
Vehicles carrying oversized and overweight cargo must comply with the regulations on Vehicle Circulation Permits like overweight and oversized vehicles. In addition, note the following:
- Support and escort vehicles: Required when the cargo has a width greater than 3.5 meters or a length greater than 20 meters, or at locations where road reinforcement is required.
- Road survey: Required when the cargo has a width greater than 3.75 meters, a height greater than 4.75 meters, a length greater than 20 meters (for class IV roads and below) or 30 meters (for class III roads and above), or when the vehicle exceeds the road’s operational capacity.
V. Limits on Loading Goods on Vehicles
1. General Regulations on Loading
The loading of goods must comply with regulations on gross vehicle weight, axle load, height, width, length of loaded goods, and not exceed the permissible cargo weight specified in the Certificate of Inspection. Goods must be arranged neatly, securely fastened, not obstruct the driver, and ensure traffic safety.
2. Axle Load Limits
- Single axle: Axle load ≤ 10 tons.
- Dual axle group: Load depends on the distance between the two axle centers (d):
- d < 1.0 meter: ≤ 11 tons.
- 1.0 meter ≤ d < 1.3 meters: ≤ 16 tons.
- d ≥ 1.3 meters: ≤ 18 tons.
- Triple axle group: Load depends on the distance between two adjacent axle centers (d):
- d ≤ 1.3 meters: ≤ 21 tons.
- d > 1.3 meters: ≤ 24 tons.
3. Gross Vehicle Weight Limits
For rigid vehicles:
- 2 axles: ≤ 16 tons.
- 3 axles: ≤ 24 tons.
- 4 axles: ≤ 30 tons.
- 5 or more axles: ≤ 32 tons (if the distance between the first and last axle is ≤ 7 meters) or ≤ 34 tons (if > 7 meters).
For tractor-semi-trailer combinations:
- 3 axles: ≤ 26 tons.
- 4 axles: ≤ 34 tons.
- 5 axles: ≤ 38 tons or ≤ 42 tons (depending on the distance from the kingpin to the first axle of the semi-trailer).
- 6 or more axles: ≤ 40 tons, ≤ 42 tons (carrying containers), ≤ 44 tons or ≤ 48 tons (depending on the distance from the kingpin to the first axle of the semi-trailer).
For rigid vehicle-trailer combinations: The gross weight is calculated based on the gross weight of the rigid vehicle and the total load of the trailer axles, with a maximum of ≤ 45 tons.
Vehicles with auxiliary axles: The gross weight is determined according to the number of axles actually affecting the road surface.
4. Loading Height Limits
- Open-top trucks with tarpaulin: Cargo height according to the design of the truck bed.
- Open-top trucks without tarpaulin: Cargo height not exceeding:
- Vehicles ≥ 5 tons: 4.2 meters.
- Vehicles 2.5 tons – < 5 tons: 3.5 meters.
- Vehicles < 2.5 tons: 2.8 meters.
- Special-purpose vehicles, container vehicles: Height ≤ 4.35 meters.
- Vehicles carrying bulk goods, construction materials: Height not exceeding the height of the truck bed.
5. Loading Width and Length Limits
- Width: According to the width of the truck bed.
- Length: Not greater than 1.1 times the overall length of the vehicle and not exceeding 20.0 meters. Cargo longer than the truck bed must have warning signs and be securely fastened.
- Passenger vehicles: Do not load goods or luggage protruding beyond the vehicle’s overall dimensions.
- Motorcycles, mopeds: Loading limits according to separate regulations.
- Non-motorized vehicles: Loading limits according to separate regulations.
VI. Procedures for Issuing Vehicle Circulation Permits
1. General Regulations on Permitting
A Vehicle Circulation Permit is only issued in special cases, when there is no other transportation option or it is not possible to use a more suitable type of vehicle. The permitting authority will choose a reasonable route and will not issue a permit if the cargo exceeds the permissible cargo weight.
2. Procedures and Documents
To apply for a Vehicle Circulation Permit, organizations and individuals need to prepare documents and submit them directly or by post to the competent authority. The documents include:
- Application form for Vehicle Circulation Permit (according to the form).
- Copy of Vehicle Registration Certificate or Temporary Registration Certificate.
- Copy of the Certificate of Technical Safety and Environmental Protection Inspection.
- Transportation plan (if a road survey is required).
3. Permitting Time
The permitting time is no more than 02 working days from the date of receipt of complete and valid documents. In case a road survey is required, the review time for granting a permit is no more than 02 working days from the date of receipt of the survey report.
4. Permitting Authority
- Director of the Department of Transport, Director of the Road Administration: Issues permits on the road network throughout the country.
- Minister of Transport: Decides on special cases serving security, defense, energy projects, disaster prevention, and search and rescue.
VII. Inspection, Examination, and Handling of Violations
The inspection, examination, and handling of violations of the latest regulation on truck weight limits – Circular 46/2015/TT-BGTVT – are carried out in accordance with current laws. Organizations and individuals who violate will be handled according to regulations and must compensate for damages if they cause damage to road infrastructure.
Conclusion
Circular 46/2015/TT-BGTVT is an important legal document, detailing the truck weight limits and related issues. Understanding and complying with these regulations not only helps businesses and drivers avoid legal violations, but also contributes to protecting traffic safety and road infrastructure.
Xe Tải Mỹ Đình (My Dinh Truck) hopes this article has provided useful and easy-to-understand information about the latest regulation on truck weight limits. For more detailed advice on the types of trucks suitable for weight regulations and cargo transportation needs, please contact us for the best support.
