Bowmonk issues van overload warning
Equipment provider Bowmonk has underlined the importance of ensuring lighter commercial vehicles remain within required weight limits, to help fleet operators avoid fines and other legal ramifications.
“On-the-spot fines, penalties and even the inconvenience of a vehicle seizure seem to be all too common these days. None more so for vehicles running over weight – In particular, vans of a GVW of 3.5T,” said the company.
Highlighting increased DVSA roadside activity targeting vans, Bowmonk emphasised the potential consequences of being caught with an overweight vehicle – with a range of fixed penalties available at the agency’s disposal, as well as the possibility of a court summons for vehicles overloaded by more than 30 per cent.
“Bowmonk recently installed an axle load monitoring system on a 3.5T Ford Transit tipper – a vehicle operated by a national energy franchise for transporting woodchip,” said the company.
“With one person in the cab and a fully equipped bolt-on tool box, the maximum payload available before reaching the GVW of 3.5T was only 400kg. The volume of product in the payload area was only one third full.”
The firm added: “Many operators are not aware that, although a vehicle could weigh out at under 3.5T, it could be exceeding either the front or rear axle maximum loading…
“An inexpensive means of closely monitoring your axle weights is Bowmonk`s LM 3500 axle load monitoring system.”
The system can be retrofitted or installed during the vehicle build.
“Our system is a very user-friendly, low-cost application, affording real-time individual axle load monitoring by way of axle sensors connected to a dash-mounted display unit,” said the company.
“This provides the driver with individual load values from the front and rear axles, ensuring the maximum axle load values are not breeched.
“The retrofit installation and calibration option can be performed at the operator`s premises in a few hours, minimising vehicle downtime.”
Benefits are said to include easy calibration and display navigation.
