Ministry of Transport: Unified Charging for Empty and Loaded Trucks in Freight Transport such as Sand and Gravel, with Lower Fees than Before!

On May 16, 2019, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Implementation Plan for Deepening the Reform of the Toll Road System and Canceling Provincial Toll Stations on Expressways" (Guo Ban Fa [2019] No. 23). The "Plan" pointed out: Highway tolls for trucks will be adjusted from weight-based charging to charging by vehicle (axle) type, accompanied by weigh-in-motion at entrances.

The excerpt from the "Plan" is as follows:

(III) Accelerate the revision and improvement of laws, regulations, and policies.

◆ Accelerate the revision of relevant laws and regulations such as the Highway Law and the Regulations on the Administration of Toll Roads. (Responsible unit: Ministry of Justice; Cooperating unit: Ministry of Transport)

◆ Clean up and standardize local toll reduction and exemption policies, and issue specific implementation opinions on optimizing toll reduction and exemption policies such as free passage for small passenger vehicles during major holidays and the "Green Channel" for the transportation of fresh agricultural products. (Responsible units: Ministry of Transport, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Finance; to be completed by the end of June 2019)

◆ Revise the standard for "Classification of Vehicle Types for Toll Road Passage". (Responsible unit: Ministry of Transport)

◆ Adjust the toll calculation method for trucks. Starting from January 1, 2020, unified charging by vehicle (axle) type will be implemented, ensuring that the overall burden of truck tolls is not increased. Synchronous implementation of weigh-in-motion detection at entrances of closed expressway toll stations will be carried out. Comprehensively promote differentiated expressway tolls, guide the scientific diversion of vehicles in congested road sections and time periods, and further improve expressway traffic efficiency. (Responsible unit: Provincial People's Governments)

◆ Study and unify the management policies for the passage of hazardous chemical transport vehicles and motorcycles on expressways. (Responsible units: Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Public Security)

◆ Improve the expressway credit system and implement joint punishment for dishonest behaviors such as evading vehicle tolls. (Responsible units: Ministry of Transport, National Development and Reform Commission; Cooperating units: People's Bank of China, etc.)

As soon as the news came out, it immediately sparked widespread concern among practitioners in the sand and gravel freight industry.

Regarding this new policy, many sand and gravel freight practitioners have questions: After charging by axle, how should empty and loaded trucks be charged? If the fees are the same, wouldn't that be very unreasonable!

Regarding these issues, relevant officials from the Ministry of Transport recently gave clear answers.

1. Unified charging for empty and loaded trucks, with reasonable fees.

Under the condition of legal loading, vehicles of the same axle type (with basically the same dimensions), whether empty or loaded, basically occupy the same amount of road resources. Charging them the same standard toll is scientific and reasonable.

China Auto News Network

Relevant officials from the Ministry of Transport stated: Not distinguishing between loaded and empty trucks, and unifying charging by vehicle (axle) type is scientific and reasonable, and is a common international practice. Objectively, it can also incentivize drivers to transport full loads on toll roads to reduce empty running rates and save logistics transportation costs.

2. Fees guaranteed not to exceed the original weight-based charging amount.

Local provincial transport authorities will also consider the freight transport structure and special vehicle types, tailor measures to local conditions, scientifically calculate and adjust toll rates, and promote differentiated expressway charging methods to ensure that tolls for each type of vehicle do not increase under the new policy.

People.cn

Relevant officials from the Highway Bureau of the Ministry of Transport explicitly stated: "We will require localities to ensure that under the same traffic flow conditions, the overall burden of truck tolls is not increased, and to ensure that the toll amount for each type of vehicle is not greater than the toll amount under the original weight-based charging."

3. No overloaded vehicles on expressways in the future.

After the implementation of the new truck toll policy, all overloaded trucks will not be allowed to enter the expressway. If a vehicle is detected to be overloaded, it will be directly turned away. If it is difficult to turn around at the entrances of some expressways with heavy traffic, these overloaded vehicles may be required to exit the expressway at the nearest exit.

China Auto News Network

The fundamental purpose of weight-based tolling for trucks is to control overloading, using the fees collected in excess from overloaded vehicles to compensate for their damage to road resources.

Essentially, the practice of weight-based tolling for trucks has not played a role in controlling overloading but has instead become a means of revenue generation for some. The method of charging by axle and turning away overloaded vehicles is undoubtedly more scientific and reasonable.

Starting from January 1, 2020, the new policy will officially take effect. Truck tolls will be charged by vehicle (axle) type, with unified fees for both empty and loaded trucks! After the implementation of the new standards, vehicles with illegal overloading and oversizing will not be able to drive onto the expressway. Weigh-in-motion will be implemented at toll station entrances, and all vehicles with illegal overloading and oversizing will not be allowed to enter the expressway.