Overloaded trucks wreak havoc on the condition of Africa’s roads, which in turn can result in accidents, delays and damage to vehicles – thus increasing the cost of doing business.
In Kenya, for example, hundreds of trucks take to the roads each day, carrying loads to and from the port of Mombasa on their way further inland or to neighbouring countries. While authorities impose a 48 ton allowance on vehicles and use an axle weight to determine the maximum load a truck can carry, overloading is common and weighbridges scarce.
According to a How We Made It In Africa report, the country spent US$900 million last year on road maintenance and expects more investment to be made in the next five years.
