Government to Hold Senders, Receivers Accountable For Overloaded Lorries

The government is looking to tighten the rules on overloaded lorries and this time, not just drivers and transport companies will be in the hot seat.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said new legal amendments are being drafted to make consignors and consignees equally responsible when trucks are caught carrying more than they should.

“We will be taking stricter action moving forward. I want to remind both consignors and consignees that, currently, only drivers and vehicle-owning companies are penalised for offences involving their lorries, including overloading.

“But we are now working on amendments to ensure that both senders and receivers of goods are also held responsible. The entire ecosystem must comply to ensure road safety,” he told Bernama today.

Loke said the impact of overloaded lorries goes far beyond fines as it damages roads and puts lives at risk.

“People often complain about potholes on Malaysian roads. One major cause is overloaded lorries. When roads deteriorate, not only do maintenance costs go up, but the safety risk, especially to motorcyclists, increases drastically,” he said.

The minister added that many lorry drivers and transport companies are often pressured by quarry and factory owners to carry extra loads to cut costs and stay competitive.

To curb this, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will be tightening enforcement and holding meetings with quarry and sand operators to issue final warnings before ramping up action.

At the same time, the government is also pushing its “road-to-rail” policy by encouraging heavy cargo to be moved by train instead of road to reduce damage and accidents.

“We want heavy cargo to be moved by rail, not roads. This aligns with our road-to-rail policy,” Loke concluded.