The Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) has proposed measures to the government to address the issue of trucks failing to comply with height clearance requirements, following a recent incident along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

CTAP President Mary Zapata acknowledged that trucks not meeting the vertical clearance requirements have been a “growing problem” for the industry.

She said trucks have caused several accidents, not just on NLEX but also on other roads across the country due to this issue.

“The vertical clearance of the bridges is no longer acceptable with the height of the trucks that are passing by. So usually, trucks take the long way round to avoid having to cross those bridges,” Zapanta said in a statement.

She said the government has acknowledged the industry’s concerns during CTAP’s recent meeting with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon.

During the dialogue, CTAP suggested the need for road scraping and elevation of certain bridges so that trucks can easily pass through.

Zapata, however, said Dizon’s response was that it would be a huge undertaking, requiring significant funding.

“He said that we may not be able to push through during our lifetime,” she said, quoting Dizon.

The CTAP official said they are willing to find another solution, citing how long-term solutions such as repairs would inevitably lead to delays of critical delivery needs.

The group is looking to address the issue internally, with plans to charge higher fees to clients to mitigate the additional fees related to traversing through another route to avoid low-clearance bridges.

Last week, the Marilao Interchange Bridge along NLEX was struck by an overheight container, causing immediate heavy traffic.

In a notice to explain, the DOTr suggested to NLEX Corp. measures to prevent another incident, such as the installation of automated overheight vehicle detection systems, structural retrofitting or protective reinforcement of overhead structures, and protocols for real-time incident reporting and rapid response.

On Sunday, June 22, the private operator temporarily waived toll fees on the northbound portion of Balintawak to Meycauayan as it expedited the repair work.

On Monday, all four lanes of the segment are now passable to motorists.

“Rest assured, NLEX is committed to improving safety and traffic management across key areas of the expressway to ensure the safety and convenience of our valued customers,” NLEX Corp. said.