Regulating the overloading of heavy commercial Vehicles: Assessment of land transport operators in Abu Dhabi

In March of 1986, the United Arab Emirates established a federal law to regulate heavy commercial vehicle's maximum weight limits, which was deactivated a few years after its implementation. As a result, the overloading rates by land transport operators (LTO) have increased over the years due to the lack of an effective regulatory framework. In the commuting system, an overload is defined as a load that exceeds the legal truckload limit and varies by the truck types specified by the number of axles. The overloaded heavy trucks negatively affect the road infrastructure by placing undue pressure on the road leading to severe damages. This research assesses the impact of overloaded heavy trucks in Abu Dhabi by conducting a trend analysis using WeighIn-Motion data. Also, the study examines the behavior of these operators towards overloading using survey responses. The study contributes towards preserving the Emirate's road infrastructure and enhancing road user's safety and heavy truck operations. The results reveal 61% of trucks that passed through the weigh-in-motion stations were overloaded, and winter months reported the highest violations. Individual LTOs reported their perceived concerns about implementing the weight limit law and adapting to the law if implemented. A framework of activities is proposed for effective formulation and implementation of the weight limit law for all road user's safety in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.