site.btaNew Toll System Functionality that Monitors Vehicle Weight in Real Time Launches on October 15

A new toll system functionality that monitors the weight of vehicles over 3.5 tons while in motion will launch on October 15, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov said here on Tuesday. Ivanov, along with Prof. Oleg Asenov, Director of the National Toll Directorate, visited one of the locations to inspect preparations for the rollout. 

The Minister said that one of the key commitments of the current Cabinet has been to fully implement the toll system's functionality, as truck overloading has been a major issue over the years.

He noted that the system uses embedded sensors in the road surface to detect overweight vehicles, which are also photographed in real time. Offenders will receive a notice to pay a voluntary compensation fee within 14 days, and if they fail to do so, stricter penalties will apply.

Ivanov said that vehicle overloading contributes significantly to the deterioration of the national road network and increasing the need for frequent repairs.

There are currently ten certified weigh-in-motion systems, Ivanov said.  "Our goal is to expand that number to 100, covering nearly the entire country," he noted, adding that overloaded vehicles are likely to cause road accidents.

The Minister said that on Tuesday alone, before enforcement had started, 200 cases of overloading were recorded.

Prof. Asenov described the initiative as a major reform that only a couple of EU Member States have implemented. He said that the initial ten locations were chosen for their heavy traffic volumes. Each site is undergoing a calibration process, and transport companies have been invited to participate and brief the industry on upcoming changes.

Asenov expressed optimism that this type of monitoring will help achieve several major goals: protecting the quality of the road infrastructure, improving road safety, and ensuring fair competition within the transport sector.

As to transit traffic, Asenov said that if an overloaded foreign-registered truck is detected, the information is sent to the toll system within an hour so the vehicle can be intercepted and fined before reaching a border checkpoint.

Minister Ivanov noted that the National Toll Directorate plays a key role in guaranteeing road safety and ensuring that everyone using the national road network follows the same rules.