Overweight trucks pose a significant threat to traffic safety and cause damage to road infrastructure. Understanding the regulations regarding overweight vehicle penalties is crucial for vehicle owners and drivers. This article provides detailed information on the 20% overweight truck penalties according to Decree 168/2024/ND-CP, effective from January 1, 2025.
What Percentage of Overweight Triggers a Penalty?
According to Article 21 of Decree 168/2024/ND-CP, a truck is considered overweight when it exceeds the permitted load by more than 10%. Specifically for tank trucks carrying liquids, the overweight percentage is calculated from 20% or more. For example, the JAC N900S Plus truck has a permitted load of 9.1 tons. If the truck carries over 10.01 tons, it will be considered overweight.
20% Overweight Truck Penalties and Other Levels
Decree 168/2024/ND-CP stipulates specific penalties for violations related to vehicle weight as follows:
- Overweight by 10% to 30% (trucks), 20% to 30% (tank trucks carrying liquids): Fine from VND 800,000 to VND 1,000,000.
- Overweight by 30% to 50%: Fine from VND 3,000,000 to VND 5,000,000.
- Overweight by more than 50% to 100%: Fine from VND 5,000,000 to VND 7,000,000.
- Overweight by more than 100% to 150%: Fine from VND 7,000,000 to VND 8,000,000.
- Overweight by more than 150%: Fine from VND 8,000,000 to VND 12,000,000.
Note: The above penalties apply to the vehicle operator. Vehicle owners will also be penalized under Article 32 of Decree 168/2024/ND-CP with much higher penalties, potentially reaching hundreds of millions of VND.
Will Overweight Trucks Have Their Permits Revoked?
Overweight trucks may have their business transportation permits revoked for 1 to 3 months according to point i, point l, clause 14, Article 30 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP. The permit is a mandatory license for vehicles operating in transportation businesses. Vehicles without a permit will be prohibited from circulation and may be temporarily seized.
How to Calculate Overweight Percentage
To calculate the overweight percentage, we need to determine the overweight mass based on the vehicle’s total weight, tare weight, and permitted load.
Formula:
- Overweight mass = Actual total weight – Tare weight – Permitted load
- % Overweight = (Overweight mass / Permitted load) x 100%
Example: The JAC N680 truck has a permitted load of 6.5 tons and a tare weight of 4.634 tons. When weighed at 12 tons, the overweight mass is 0.866 tons and the overweight percentage is 13.32%.
JAC N680 truck being weighed at a weight station
Conclusion
Carrying overweight cargo is a violation of the law and poses many dangers. This article has provided information about the 20% overweight truck penalties and other overweight levels according to the latest regulations. Vehicle owners and drivers must strictly comply with weight regulations to avoid penalties and ensure traffic safety.
