Government's e-system to curb illegal levies, overloaded trucks

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Transportation is developing an electronic enforcement system to prevent illegal levies in freight transportation and address the issue of over-dimension and overloaded vehicles.

Director General of Land Transportation at the Ministry, Aan Suhanan, stated that the ministry is currently modernizing its vehicle weighing equipment as part of efforts to implement an automated enforcement system.

In a statement made in Jakarta on Friday, Suhanan noted that electronic enforcement would reduce direct interaction between drivers and officers at weighing stations (UPPKB), thereby minimizing opportunities for illegal levies.

“We are currently developing an electronic enforcement mechanism by installing Weigh in Motion (WIM) systems. In the long term, it is expected to serve as a deterrent to violators,” he remarked.

Weigh in Motion (WIM) technology allows vehicles to be weighed without stopping, transmitting real-time digital data. The system is expected to reduce illegal levies while improving the efficiency and transparency of enforcement.

The ministry also plans to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Attorney General's Office, so that data gathered through electronic weighbridges can serve as a legal foundation for enforcement.

Suhanan acknowledged that some individuals continue to engage in illegal fee collection, particularly at weigh stations, which are supposed to serve as the front line in handling over-dimension and overloaded vehicles.

“For that reason, we are preparing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for weighbridge mechanisms to improve oversight,” he explained.

Earlier, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), stressed the urgency of eradicating illegal levies, citing them as one of the main reasons for inflated logistics costs.

AHY stated that eliminating extortion practices would significantly lower logistics expenses, removing the justification for allowing over-dimension and overloaded vehicles in the name of cost efficiency.