Main Article Content

Abstract

The Economic Community of West African States recently reviewed regulations on axle weights. Ghana rolled out its new regulation in January 2014. The allowable axle weights in the new regulation are much stiffer (e.g., the allowable single axle limit is now 11.5 tonnes compared to 13.5 tonnes, previously). Regional freight haulers contend that the new regulations make Ghana’s corridor less attractive to trade. However, the road agency sees it as a way of maintaining and extending road pavement life. The goal of this study is to find the optimum axle limit that is economically feasible to create a balance between road preservation and port competitiveness. Data collected on 47,959 individual trucks from July 2010 to December 2013 were analyzed. A calibrated Highway Development and Maintenance model for Ghana was used to estimate the total transport cost. The analysis showed that 19 % of trucks were overloaded, and footwear was the most frequently overloaded commodity. Overloading was common with all trucks, but 3-axle trucks experienced the highest extent of overloading. It was found that if the road agency maintains a high road maintenance standard (e.g., International Roughness Index = 3 m/km), then the optimum axle limits will be from 12-13 tonnes, 20-22 tonnes, and 28-29 tonnes for single axle, tandem axle, and tridem axle, respectively. However, at a low maintenance target (IRI = 7 m/km), the optimum limits need to be 12.5 tonnes and 18-19 tonnes for single axle and tandem axle, respectively, while the optimum tridem limit remains unchanged.

Keywords

Axle Load Optimum Limit Road User Cost Road Agency Cost

Article Details

References

  1. Adarkwa, K. A., Poku-Boansi, M., and Obeng-Atuah, D. (2012). Overloading of freight vehicles on Ghana’s transit corridors. Policy and Planning Directorate – Ministry of Roads and Highways.
  2. Business and Financial Times. B&FT. (2014a). Challenges in transit trade disturbing – operators. [online]. Available at: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Challenges-in-transit-trade-disturbing-Operators-317512 [Accessed 05 May 2021].
  3. Business and Financial Times. B&FT. (2014b). Tussle over truck axle-load policy. [online]. Available at: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Tussle-over-truck-axle-load-policy-310309 [Accessed 05 May 2021].
  4. Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority. DVLA. (2017). Road traffic regulations 2012, LI. 2180. [online]. Available at: http://www.dvla.gov.gh/singlenews [Accessed 06 July 2021].
  5. Dumitrescu, A. C. (2013). Africa-Abidjan-Lagos trade and transport facilitation project (ALTTFP): P096407-Implementation Status Results Report: Sequence 08.
  6. Ghana Highway Authority. GHA. (2022). Permissible axle load limits. [online]. Available at: https://www.highways.gov.gh/d_limit [Accessed 15 May 2022].
  7. JICA. (2011). Study for the harmonization of vehicle overload control in the East African community. Final Report. PADECO. Co. Ltd.
  8. Koranteng-Yorke, J.B., Ghataora, G. and Odoki, J. (2015). Rational approach for tropical pavement design using life-cycle principles: case study of Ghana. International Journal of Pavement Engineering, 16(8), pp. 667-683.
  9. Limao, N. and Venables, A. J. (2001). Infrastructure, geographical disadvantage, transport costs, and trade. The World Bank Economic Review, 15(3), pp. 451-479.
  10. Meyburg, A. H., Schuler, R. E. and Saphores, J. D. (1994). Impact assessment of the regulation of heavy truck operations. In Project number 17-7-88-B.
  11. Ministry of Roads and Highways. MRH. (2013). Ghana truck drivers guide. [online]. Available at: http://www.mrh.gov.gh/files/publications/Drivers_Guide.pdf. [Accessed 26 Feb 2020].
  12. Ministry of Roads and Highways. MRH. (2016). Status of implementation of UEMOA road map on axle load control. Published by UEMOA.
  13. Opoku, G. M. K. (2009). Overloading problem and related axle load control regime in Ghana. A Study Commissioned by The Royal Danish Embassy, Final Report.
  14. Oyekanmi O. J., Ibe C. C., Ebiringa O. T., and Ejem, E. A. (2020). Analysis of the extent of overloading on the Nigerian highways. International Journal of Transportation Engineering and Technology, 6(1), pp. 22-29.
  15. Rizet, C. and Hine, J. (1993). A comparison of the costs and productivity of road freight transport in Africa and Pakistan. Transport Reviews. 13(2), pp. 151-165.
  16. Rolt, J. (1981). Optimum axle loads of commercial vehicles-developing countries. TRRL Lab. Report 1002, Crowthorne, UK.
  17. Sparks, G. A. and Neudorf, R. D. (1987). Productivity implications of vehicle weight and dimension regulations. Journal of the Transportation Research Forum, Transportation Research Forum, 28(1), pp. 392-401.
  18. Strathman, J.G. (2001). Economics of overloading and the effect of weight enforcement. Center for Urban Studies College of Urban and Public Affairs Portland State University: Portland, OR, USA.
  19. West Africa Trade Hub. WATH. (2010). Implementation of axle weight rules in UEMOA member stations. Lessons learned from transit traffic in Ghana. [online]. Available at: http://www.borderlesswa.com/sites/default/files/resources/mar11/implementation-axleweight-rules-ghana.pdf. [Accessed 05 July 2020].
  20. Whiteside, R. E., Chu, T. Y., Cosby, J. C., Winfrey, R. and Whitaker, R. C. (1973). Changes in legal vehicle weights and dimensions: some economic effects on highways. NCHRP Report, (141).