Failure by road users to comply with the rules and norms when transporting heavy and bulky goods poses a threat to the lives of citizens. This is evidenced by statistics on accidents and mortality in accidents. In addition, the neglect of rules and regulations results in negative economic consequences.
Violators cause significant damage to state property, which includes, but is not limited to, roads, as well as privately owned vehicles. Given these problems, a program was developed at the government level to organize overall and weight control in the Russian Federation. It was prepared in pursuance of the provisions of the Action Plan aimed at improving licensing and control and supervision functions, as well as at optimizing the provision of public services in the field of transport. Let us further consider how weight control on the roads is carried out in Russia.
Key principles
The program of organization of weight control on the road is aimed at:
- Ensuring traffic safety and the safety of public roads.
- Compliance by users of the provisions of legislative acts in the process of transportation of goods, requirements for the quality of their services.
- Compliance with weight control services established requirements for the supervision of the carriage of goods.
- The implementation of the targeted approach in the planning and use of budget funds for expenditure items. In particular, special supervision is established over the expenditure of money for the construction and maintenance of control points (primarily stationary ones).
Weight control , organized in accordance with the Program, allows to reduce the share of expenses on repair and restoration of routes damaged and destroyed due to the passage of heavy vehicles.
Problem and Solution
Today, the maintenance of the roadway is quite expensive. In some regions, the problem is very acute. Heavy vehicles cause significant damage to federal highways annually. Billions of rubles are required to restore the canvas. The solution to the problem was weight control. In the Rostov Region, for example, since 2015, the rules for driving heavy vehicles along the roads of the region have been tightened. Fines were imposed for exceeding the permissible (maximum) load. At the same time, if up to 15% was allowed until 2015, then after tightening the rules, the percentage decreased to 5. The regional government developed a program to increase the number of checkpoints, including mobile ones. Weight control was installed on busy highways and in major cities in the region.
The situation in the Republic of Bashkortostan
The leadership of the region took up the solution of the problem in 2012. A government order formed the state control and oversight body. Weight control service of the Republic of Belarus:
- It provides assistance to traffic police units of the Republic in monitoring and suppressing unauthorized transportation of heavy cargo.
- Performs calculation of compensation for property damage caused by vehicles carrying heavy goods if their weight or axle load exceeds the parameters established by the norms.
At points of weight control of the Republic of Bashkortostan , vehicles are weighed to determine if their weight complies with established standards. It is worth saying that a lot of problems arise in the work of the Service. So, in 2016 in Bashkiria on weight control in with. Arkhangelsk a few trucks ignored the sign and proceeded past the point. However, the drivers managed to be detained. As it turned out, the weight of the transported cargo significantly exceeded the permissible. Appropriate exposure measures have been applied to drivers. Currently, according to truckers, there are no problems with weight control in Bashkortostan .
Selective Weighing
Weight control in Moscow and other cities of the country is already considered normal. Currently, selective weighing of trucks is carried out regularly. This weight control is called mobile . Authorized employees use portable equipment. It can be deployed on any flat section of the route. As a rule, such weight control in Moscow is carried out on the Moscow Ring Road.
Stationary checkpoints
Such weight control posts are deployed at nodal points (including in the territory adjacent to airports, river / sea stations, railway and motor transport terminals, large agricultural and industrial enterprises), as well as at border crossings. In areas of possible detour of such points, mobile teams operate with portable weights. Weight control of the vehicle is carried out by the civil service of the road sector with the assistance of the traffic police and the Transport Inspectorate of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.
The composition of the stationary point
At the control post are:
- Scales with which the axial load of the vehicle is determined during their movement along the highway.
- Special site for accurate weighing.
- Stationary / portable scales.
- Room for equipment and personnel.
- Guarded parking for vehicles that did not pass control.
The stationary point is equipped with communications, traffic control. A special information base is used to collect, accumulate, process and transmit data.
Mobile group
The team has:
- By car.
- Means of communication.
- Portable weights.
Weight control can be carried out exclusively by certified equipment. Norms prescribed mandatory verification of measuring instruments in the territorial divisions of Gosstandart.
Design features of scales
On stationary equipment, the vehicle can be weighed in a stationary state or while driving. Scales can be used for wheeled or axial weighing. Portable equipment is used to determine the mass (load) of stationary vehicles. They are presented in the form of scales for weighing. Stationary equipment is installed directly on the carriageway or on a special platform (for fixed vehicles).
Parameters
In the process of weighing are determined:
- The load on each axle (or wheel) of the vehicle.
- The total mass of the machine.
- The distance between the axles of the vehicle.
Typically, at stationary checkpoints, automated recording of the composition and intensity of traffic is carried out. Vehicle weighing in the process of their movement is carried out with the aim of preliminary selection of machines for a more detailed check. Selected vehicles are checked on a special site. If the driver does not have a special permit for the transportation of heavy cargo, his car is sent to the guarded parking lot of the checkpoint.
The main directions of development of the vehicle control system
The system of overall and weight control of cars existing in the country today allows checking no more than 10% of heavy vehicles. The budget receives only 3% of the fees for damages caused to motorways. These indicators indicate the need for fundamental changes in the existing system. To achieve the goals set in the Program for the organization of dimensional / weight control of the vehicle, it is necessary:
- Improving logistics to reduce the number of heavy vehicles in the total volume of cars.
- Improving the stability and security of the transport network.
- Improving the regulatory framework governing the activities of control bodies.
- Development of information and logistics technologies.
Measures to improve the SPVK network
Currently, there are more than 50 stationary weight control points (SPVK) on highways, including toll roads. Since 2008, equipment that has exhausted its resources has been replaced. In 2010, work began on modernizing the SPVK. In particular, automatic pre-weighing systems and measurements of the vehicle dimensions in the stream were installed (without reducing their speed). Systems are equipped with video and photo fixing devices. This equipment allows you to determine weight and size parameters with almost no reduction in speed.
System Performance Assessment
Today, two departments are involved in overall and weight control issues: the traffic police and Rostransnadzor. The last body is entrusted with the duties of monitoring the vehicle engaged in cargo transportation and the organization of the SPVK. Meanwhile, additional personnel for these purposes were not allocated in the UGADN (Office of State Road Supervision). As practice shows, today the interaction of responsible government agencies is carried out in an insufficient volume. Currently, only a small part of SPVK are combined or located in close proximity to stationary traffic police posts. At the same time, only traffic police officers have the right to stop the vehicle, check for special permits and apply administrative measures to violators. According to some experts, the assignment of these functions to Rostransnadzor could increase the effectiveness of the control system. However, funds are needed for this.
Features of violations
About 80% of all violations are exceeded axial load. It is associated with improper cargo picking. At present, prosecution of violators is significantly difficult due to the limited statute of limitations for the consideration of administrative cases. It is 2 months. Existing regulations today do not allow the use of such a measure of coercion as the detention of the vehicle in full. Not all checkpoints are equipped with special parking lots, and the issue of liability for vehicle safety has not been properly settled. These and other economic and legal factors lead to deliberate violation by carriers and consignors of goods of the established transportation rules. Many people prefer to pay a fine, rather than comply with the requirements.
Deficiencies in equipment SPVK
It is also worth saying a few words about the conditions for placing SPVK. On some of them there are no transition-speed lanes, dedicated lanes for direct weighing, parking areas, and in some cases for stopping the vehicle. Some points are not equipped with artificial lighting, other necessary technical means. All this, of course, does not contribute to the effective operation of weight control points. Moreover, vehicle traffic is often delayed, and weighing equipment fails prematurely. It is worth noting that the practice of using mobile control points has not received proper distribution today. This is due primarily to gaps in regulations.
Causes of Violations
The main factors leading to non-compliance with the established requirements include:
- The lack of rights for road owners to organize weight control.
- The inability to demand the payment of a fine and compensation for damage from vehicle drivers.
- Imperfection of the existing legislative framework governing the transport of heavy and bulky goods and establishing liability for violations.
- Lack of proper control over the weight and size parameters of the vehicle.
- Illegal actions of individual employees of control bodies.
Conclusion
As you can see, in the country the system of weight control of vehicles carrying heavy and bulky goods is not well developed.
At the same time, annual growth in expenses for the repair and maintenance of federal and regional highways is noted. Despite constantly increasing costs, the condition of roads in the Russian Federation leaves much to be desired. According to experts, there is a significant lag in the pace of development of the road network from the intensity of motorization of the population. Particularly actively increasing the volume of heavy cargo transportation. This, in turn, leads to an increase in traffic loads. With an increase in the carrying capacity of the vehicle, on the one hand, transportation costs are reduced, and on the other, the costs of reconstruction, construction, and repair of roads increase.