Kupastuntas.co, Lampung English - Coal-laden vehicles are still free to pass during the day in the Lampung Province area. In fact, Circular Letter of the Governor of Lampung Number: 045.2/0208/V.13/2022 states that coal vehicles can only pass from 18.00 to 06.00 AM.

The Lampung Province Transportation Service has held meetings with several coal stockpile companies, the Regional Police and Resort Police as well as the district/city Transportation Agency to discuss the regulation of coal transport traffic.

The Head of the Lampung Transportation Service, Bambang Sumbogo said, during the meeting his party asked all coal stockpile companies to comply with the Circular Letter of the Governor of Lampung Number: 045.2/0208/V.13/2022 concerning coal transportation.

"During the operation of Over Dimension Over Loading vehicles on toll roads and national roads, there are still many Over Dimension Over Loaded vehicles, one of which is coal vehicles. We tell coal stockpile entrepreneurs to comply with the Governor's Circular Letter," said Bambang, Sunday 5 March 2023.

Bambang said the meeting was attended by the Lampung Regional Police Traffic Directorate, Transportation Agency and Polres Bandar Lampung, South Lampung, Way Kanan, North Lampung and Central Lampung.

"Yesterday it was agreed on joint steps to tighten supervision in the border areas that are crossed by coal vehicles. It turns out that now there are coal vehicles from the Lahat area, Tanjung Enim heading to Lampung," he explained.

He revealed that there was already an agreement to carry out integrated law enforcement or to carry out fines to minimize road damage due to coal vehicles that frequently pass by.

"It turns out that in the Jalan Sutami area there are also several coal stockpile locations. We will check there. Because the permits are not in the province, but in the regency/city. We will try later on the border and we will strengthen it again," he explained.

He reminded that based on the Circular Letter of the Governor of Lampung Number 045.2/0208/V.13/2022 it stated that coal must be transported by vehicles that have a permitted weight of 8 tons with light dump truck types or medium truck vehicles.

Then, a series of coal truck vehicles is not allowed to accompany more than 3 vehicles. And coal vehicles are only allowed to cross the Lampung Province area from 18.00 to 06.00 WIB.

"It is only permissible to transport coal in diesel vehicles under 8 tons so as not to damage the road. For the transportation of the series, only three units are allowed. We emphasize that the fuso loading coal cannot enter Lampung," he said.

Chairman of the Lampung Indonesian Entrepreneurs Association, Ary Meizari revealed, Apindo is ready to support the government's efforts to crack down on Over Dimension Over Loaded vehicles.

"In principle, we agree because of the ban. Of course we as businessmen can understand because overloading will have negative impacts, one of which is road damage," he said.

However, he said that the ban on Over Dimension Over Loading vehicles would certainly have an impact on even greater expenses being borne by entrepreneurs.

"Obviously there will be a greater cost of transportation costs. For example, what used to be carried in a day, because of the prohibition of Over Dimension Over Loading, has become two days. What is clear is that the burden will be felt even more," he said.

IB Ilham Malik, Observer of Transportation and Land Use of the Regional and City Planning Study Program, Sumatra Institute of Technology, revealed that the existence of Over Dimension Over Loading vehicles causes a number of losses, such as road infrastructure that quickly breaks down to traffic accidents.

Ilham said that this phenomenon must be immediately anticipated by the government by eradicating the existence of Over Dimension Over Loading vehicles.

"The existence of Over Dimension Over Loaded vehicles has definitely had an impact on road damage which is becoming faster than the planned age. Then the potential for traffic accidents is also relatively higher," said Ilham. (*)

This article was published in the Peel Complete Daily Newspaper, Monday, March 4, 2023, entitled "Fuso Batubara Dilarang Masuk Lampung"