The Kenya National Highway Authority has stepped up its crackdown on overloading trucks to safeguard inter-county roads.

The mobile weighbridge unit patrols roads linking towns in a bid to curb overloading among vehicles that ferry building materials and foodstuffs.

The unit is a multi-agency operation involving the National Police service and Axle load control officers.

According to Jackson Kimuyu, Assistant Operations Manager at DANKA Africa Kenya Limited, the managing contractor responsible for managing, operating, and maintaining the Athi River Cluster, which includes the Athi River weighbridge, Isinya weighbridge, Juja weighbridge, and Kanyonyoo weighbridge stations, the rate of compliance is at 99%.

Kimuyu said that the biggest challenge which they are currently facing is from local transporters where the rate of weighbridge compliance is slightly above 95%.

“We have mobile weighbridges that patrols the road network to improve on the rate of compliance,” he said.

According to Kimuyu, the high rate of compliance can be attributed to transporter sensitization.

“We work closely with the Kenya Transporters Association (KAM) for transit trucks and that’s why the rate of compliance is so high,” he added.

He also noted that that they have seven static stations along the Northern corridor where most trucks load to compliance especially from the port which is their point of loading.

“For the local transporters we have encouraged transporters to join self regulation saccos and the majority have joined. For those who have not complied, our mobile weighbridges are dealing with them,” he stated.

Kimuyu also recounted a last week incident where his team was attacked and stoned by goons and loaders who were escorting an overloaded truck.

According to Kimuyu, they have since taken the necessary precautions, including going to the sand loading areas and conducting an operation with Mashuru to ensure sand loading is controlled.

“We also have another operation in Dol Dol in Laikipia county targeting sand that comes to Nyeri along the Sagana-Isiolo road. For the last eight days we have managed to charge over 30 trucks with overloads ranging from 2 tonnes to 7 tonnes and we are not relenting,” he warned.

He also urged transporters carrying loose building materials to load to capacity, as overloading will result in detention and charging.

Kimuyu also warned transporters who hire boda bodas to trail their teams in order to avoid arrest, warning that the boda bodas would be arrested and charged accordingly.

He also cautioned drivers who drive trucks without number plates adding that it’s an offence thus they will impound them and take the necessary action with the police officers.

“Another challenge that we face has been trucks leaving the cargo and running away when they spot our mobile vehicle. We will still pursue you and when we get the vehicle, we will load the cargo back and we will determine the load of the overload.