“Overloaded Lithuanian Crusher Transport Stopped by Norwegian Authorities”

The driver was supposed to transport a crusher home to Lithuania, but the plan fell apart when the police stopped him.

The transport had been on the road in Trøndelag for an hour when other road users notified the Norwegian Road Administration that everything was not in order.

The wagon train was stopped by the road authorities and the police at 12 o’clock on Saturday and taken to the traffic station in Steinkjer for a weight check.

– He had not loaded correctly. Then it was just nonsense, says head of the Swedish Road Administration’s outdoor inspection in Trøndelag Kim-Ruben Våge to VG.

The Lithuanian transport company had been granted an exemption from the weight regulations in the Norwegian road standard, but the dispensation had not been followed to the letter.

Among other things, it said in English that the special transport was not allowed to drive on Saturday or Sunday – but English was a language the driver did not speak.

The company had received a dispensation for a transport of 19 metres. But when the mobile crusher itself measured 17 metres, the math didn’t add up.

– Huge overhang

– He had a huge overhang behind the trailer. We measured that at 4.2 metres, while the permissible is two metres. And the stake was not properly marked, says Våge.

But the worst part was the weight: the Lithuanian had more than 37 tonnes on the trailer. The law says a maximum of 24, so the excess weight was measured at 13.5 tonnes.

– The trailer was far too heavy compared to the tow truck, says Våge.

The Swedish Road Administration states that the train actually swayed on the road.

– Thank God that there was no snow today, then the transport would not have had pressure on the drive wheels, says the manager of the outdoor inspection.

During the inspection, it was discovered that the permitted total weight of the trailer, axle load, axle distance, total length of the wagon train and overhang did not meet the requirements.

The driver frustrated

The overload fee was assessed at NOK 77,000. The wheel lock that was installed will not be removed until the company has paid the fee.

– The driver was a little frustrated, so to speak, says Kim-Ruben Våge.

The crushing plant was to cross the border towards Storlien through Sweden and on to Lithuania. The Swedish Road Administration believes that a larger train is needed for it to reach the Baltics.