TRUCK operators are frustrated over the slow action of a technical committee formed by the government to look into the industry’s plight. Almost two months after its formation, the committee has yet to convene and start hearings on Republic Act 8794 or the No Overloading Law. Rodolfo De Ocampo, president of the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP), told PortCalls the committee’s non-action is forcing truck operators to start carrying only cargoes with the correct weight regardless of the consequences to shippers."We have no choice but to accept containers with the correct weight in order not to have any problems with the authorities," De Ocampo said. It is normal practice among shippers to pack containers to save on shipping cost. Shippers are charged based on delivery distance and not weight. Truckers are being penalized P2,500 per apprehension for violating RA 8794 but this cost is not passed on to shippers. The government is bent on strictly enforcing RA 8794 in almost all major thoroughfares to avoid excessive wear and tear of the country’s road network. Last February, the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Operators (ACTOO) staged a rally at the North Luzon expressway to protest against the unjust implementation of the No Overloading Law arguing that the NLEX management is barking up the wrong tree as it has no power to prescribe the allowed cargo weight limit on importers. ACTOO also stands firm on its earlier plan for an operations shutdown if the government fails to present a win-win solution to the problem.
