Regulations for oversized and overweight cargo transportation by road

Domestic road Transport

Transportation by road oversized and overweight cargo presents a significant challenge for businesses and transport providers. These types of goods require strict compliance with traffic safety and technical regulations to ensure safe and efficient transport.

What is considered oversized and overweight cargo?

According to the law, oversized and overweight cargo refers to goods that exceed the legal size or weight limits for standard transport vehicles. These typically include industrial machinery, large steel structures, heavy machine parts, or oversized construction projects. Transporting such goods via Transportation by road requires specialized vehicles and adherence to strict legal regulations.

    • Oversized cargo: goods with excessive dimensions, over 20 meters in length, 2.5 meters in width, or 4.2 meters in height (measured from the road surface).

    • Overweight cargo: goods weighing more than 32 tons that cannot be divided or disassembled for conventional transport methods.

Regulations for transporting oversized and overweight cargo

When transportation by road oversized and overweight cargo, businesses and transport companies must comply with a series of regulations to ensure safe and lawful transportation.

1. Transport vehicles

Oversized and overweight cargo requires specialized vehicles. Specifically, these vehicles must meet the following requirements:

    • Special design: these vehicles often feature low chassis, high load capacity, and flexible steering to handle heavy loads and navigate complex terrains.

    • Special permits: vehicle owners must obtain a special permit from the authorities for transporting oversized and overweight cargo to ensure compliance with road safety regulations.

2. Transport permits

Each oversized and overweight cargo shipment by road must have a special transport permit issued by the road management authority. This permit includes detailed information about the type of goods, transport vehicles, route, and transport time. To obtain a permit, businesses must meet the following conditions:

    • Safe transport routes: authorities assess the transport route to ensure the goods do not obstruct traffic and that the road infrastructure is suitable.

    • Cargo insurance: businesses must have cargo insurance and civil liability coverage related to the transport.

3. Traffic safety regulations

Due to the large size and weight of oversized and overweight cargo, transporting these goods by road can affect traffic. Businesses must implement safety measures:

    • Escort and warnings: vehicles carrying oversized and overweight cargo often require escort vehicles and warnings to alert other road users about the presence of large cargo.

    • Restricted transport times: transport of oversized and overweight cargo is usually limited to specific hours, often during nighttime or off-peak hours to minimize traffic disruption.

4. Quality control of goods and vehicles

Before transportation, the cargo and vehicles must be thoroughly inspected to ensure they meet technical standards. Oversized and overweight goods, in particular, must be securely fastened to avoid risks during transit.

Challenges of transporting oversized and overweight cargo by road

1. Ensuring traffic safety

One of the biggest challenges in transporting oversized and overweight cargo is ensuring traffic safety. Due to their large size and heavy weight, these vehicles can cause congestion or pose risks to other vehicles if not properly arranged.

2. Infrastructure limitations

In many areas, road infrastructure is not sufficient to accommodate oversized and overweight cargo, especially bridges or sections of road with low load capacities. Thus, transport route planning must be meticulously done to avoid unsuitable roads.

3. High transportation costs

Due to the specific nature of oversized and overweight cargo, transportation costs are typically higher than for regular goods. Businesses must carefully calculate these costs to ensure economic efficiency for projects requiring the transportation of such goods.

Transportation by road

VELA’s solution for oversized and overweight cargo transportation

With years of experience and collaboration with long-standing partners in the Logistics and transport industry, VELA is committed to providing professional and safe domestic road transport services for various types of oversized and overweight cargo.

    • Specialized vehicles: VELA owns a range of vehicles designed specifically for transporting oversized and overweight cargo, from low-bed trucks and semi-trailers to specialized heavy-load vehicles.

    • Detailed transport planning: before offering solutions to businesses, VELA’s team conducts route surveys, assesses risks, and creates a detailed transport plan to ensure that goods are transported quickly and safely to their destination.

    • Professional support services: we provide 24/7 customer support, ensuring that any issues arising during transportation are promptly addressed.

Transporting oversized and overweight cargo via domestic road transport requires strict adherence to legal and technical regulations. With VELA’s support, businesses can rest assured of a safe, efficient, and timely transportation process.