Hungary introduces a new weighting system for trucks
In June 2018, Hungarian authorities activated a revolutionary weight measurement system, to keep track of truck cargo traffic.
The innovative part lies mostly in the speed of processing, meaning the system measures the vehicles’ axle weight and determines their total weight without stopping the vehicle itself. The main use of this system, according to authorities, is to best filter loaded and overloaded cargo vehicles and impose fines when needed. By using this, authorities will no longer have to stop vehicles for weighing. At the moment, 107 measurement stations are distributed across the country at 89 measuring points.
The system works by having sensors integrated into the road pavement that can measure the axle weight of moving vehicles. Accordingly, the inspection coverage has improved from 2% to 50%, which is a significant increase. The National Axle Weight Measurement System (TSM) is expected to reduce the risk and severity of accidents involving cargo vehicles, while also slowing down the pace of road degradation.
‘In connection with the electronic toll control system, the vehicle registration numbers are recorded and the measurement results of the weighings are transmitted centrally. Overloaded vehicles are either stopped as part of preliminary checks or on-the-spot checks or checked in flowing traffic. If violations are detected in flowing traffic, the vehicle owner then receives a fine notification by post’, according to the AISÖ.
Until now, truck drivers who overloaded their vehicles were only discovered by chance, being directed to weighing stations set up at various roadside spots.
