In the 90s, the regulations of the abnormal transportation were given to the private companies compared to the previous situation when the sphere was controlled mostly by the government. Since that time, plenty of companies have been engaged in the transport business.
In 2004, Poland became a member of European Economic Community, which allowed the companies working not just in the country but also across the Europe.
The heavy transportations by road are an indispensable part of the whole sphere of transportations in Poland. It is connected with the fact that the canals are too small for the abnormal transport compared to the other European countries, while the transportation of bulky loads by train is also impossible.
In 2008, the OSPTN was founded. It is an association of Polish heavy transport companies, which includes such large firms as ZTE Radom with great experience in transportations. Since the foundation, the organization has been working on the change of regulations concerning the abnormal transport. Thanks to their efforts, many changes are being prepared or await the approval of the government.
Currently, there are 7 categories of transport in the country:
- for regional and local traffic
- for the agricultural machinery up to 3.5 meters wide
- for the vehicles up to 3.2 meters wide, 23 meters long, and 4.3 m high
- for the steering axle vehicles with the length of 30 meters and the width 3.4 meters
- for the transport with the gross weight up to 60 tonnes (of two separate kinds)
- for the vehicles of over 60 tonnes, which are higher, wider, or longer than the dimensions in cat. 1-6.
OSPTN: what they want
The organization wants to change the following regulations concerning the abnormal trailers sector:
- vehicles registration
- digital registration
- escorts of the abnormal transport in Poland
- the differentiation of the axles
- the permitted weight for the load cranes.
According to the current rules, there are fines for the violation of regulations concerning the maximum weight, bridges/viaduct crossing, and sizes of the vehicles.