Speaker
Description
Log truck weights in the US state of Georgia are governed by state law, including limits for gross vehicle weight, single axle, and tandem axle weights. A very small percentage of loads are inspected by law enforcement, however. Some forest products mills have internal policies regarding the weight of delivered loads to reduce liability and protect mill infrastructure. The objectives of this study were to 1) evaluate the prevalence of mill weight policies, 2) document the structure of mill weight policies, and 3) analyze the variability in the weight of loads delivered to Georgia mills. We conducted a survey of Georgia mill-owning companies and obtained a sample of nearly 130,000 mill scale tickets from cooperating mills. Survey responses were received from owners of 27 Georgia mills representing 14.7 million tonnes of annual wood consumption (~33% of annual wood consumption in the state). Eighty percent of companies had instituted an internal weight policy to control gross vehicle weight (GVW) of delivered loads. The stated reasons for instituting weight policies included liability reduction, improvements to highway safety, and protection of mill infrastructure. The weight policies were effective at preventing the delivery of grossly overweight loads (>5,400 kg over legal limit). Only 45% of delivered loads were within ± 1.5 tonne of the legal GVW limit and 27% of delivered loads were at least 1.5 tonnes below the legal limit. Improved management of truck payload by logging businesses could reduce hauling costs and improve timber transportation profitability in the state.
| Keywords | Forest Logistics; Efficiency; Safety |
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