Truck drivers plying the National and regional highways have been put on notice for illegally tampering with liftable axles.
According to KENHA, there has been an increase in trucks going into transit with their axles lifted.
“Our concern has been drawn to the rising cases of misuse of liftable axles within the National and Regional Trunk Road Network. This is from data that we have analysed from the various Static and Virtual Weighbridges located on the National Road Network.”
An axle-lift is often used by drivers to raise a set of wheels. This is often used to reduce road noise. However, drivers are tampering with the switches as it is only allowed when a truck is not in motion.
Engineer Kennedy Ndugire, a senior KeNHA engineer in charge of axle load enforcement, said the practice is a violation of the law.
“Drivers are tampering with the liftable axles system in blatant violation of the Axle Load Limit Laws. The net effect of lifting the liftable axle for a loaded truck is that its allowable gross weight reduces as fewer axles will be carrying the same load. For Example, a six (6) axle truck allowed by law to carry 50 Tonnes will be allowed to carry 42 Tonnes with the lift axle up since only five (5) axles will be touching the ground.”
The offence is spelt out on the East African Community Vehicle Load Control Act 2016, which provides for safe and lawful trucking within the 7 states.
“Liftable axles shall only be permitted on a vehicle if such axles are fitted with the manufacturer’s certified dead man’s switch or on air suspension system or with automatic dropdown when loaded”.
Tampering with the liftable axle system is an offence both under Traffic Act CAP 403 and the East African Community Vehicle Load Control Act ,2016.
The EAC Act under Section 20 (1) (i) states that: “a person commits an offence under this Act if that person operates a vehicle with a defective suspension, dead man’s switch other mechanisms in the vehicle that affects the weight of the vehicle”.
The EAC Act under Section 21. (1) states that: “a person convicted of an offence under section 20 by a national court shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand US dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both.”
Eng. Ndugire said the road authority will engage the Judiciary in ensuring such offenders face the full wrath of the law for damaging Kenya’s valuable road network.
“KeNHA continues to Sensitize transporters on effects of misusing the liftable axle. The Authority has also continuous engagements with the ODPP officers, Judicial Officers so that all of us play our parts in efforts to protect the very expensive road asset whose networth is over 3 Trillion Kenya Shillings.”
