Truck drivers along the Northern Corridor are hailing the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) for modernizing and expanding the Busia weighbridge, a project they say has finally ended the crippling traffic snarl-ups that plagued the Kisumu-Busia Road (A12).
During a media tour of the facility, operated by KeNHA’s contractor Gokhan and Masterspace JV, one transit trucker Edison Asande said the addition of a second weighing deck has transformed operations.
“Before, you could sit there for over 24 hours, even forever. Now you just roll in, roll out. No bottlenecks, as long as you’re carrying the correct weight,” he said.
Another driver, Joseph Njuguna, who spent under three minutes on the deck, praised the high-speed weigh-in-motion technology, which only diverts flagged vehicles for static confirmation. He said the digitized system has boosted transparency and credibility among transporters.
“If you’re overloaded, the cameras catch you, and you turn right for confirmation. The rest of us continue with the journey. It’s really convenient.”
KeNHA’s expansion at Busia includes greater weighing capacity, new parking bays and upgraded amenities for drivers, ensuring a smoother and faster experience. The authority has also deployed additional virtual weigh stations and reinforced mobile patrol teams to clamp down on drivers attempting to evade axle load checks.
Truckers say corridor movement has improved significantly, with the only notable delays now coming from Kenya Revenue Authority procedures at the border.
Kenya’s strict implementation of axle load standards continues to draw regional interest, with several countries sending delegations to study the model.
The EAC Axle Load Schedule, which outlines penalties and operational rules, is also under review by other states seeking to replicate East Africa’s effective road maintenance and load management systems.
