The government’s decision to finally enforce the ban on buses and lorries from using the rightmost lane on highways may be welcome news for motorists, but not everyone agrees that the move is a practical idea, as The Star reports.
Lorry associations and commercial transport groups are among those who have voiced their reservations about the ruling, saying that authorities should consider the reality on the ground before enforcing the ban.
Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Lorry Operators Association secretary-general Alvin Choong said banning heavy vehicles altogether from right lanes would disrupt the smooth flow of highways in the first place. “The move is not that practical. Not all highways have more than two lanes and restricting them from using the right lanes would only cause traffic jams and endanger other road users,” he said.
“Since there are many slow-moving vehicles travelling in the left lanes too, how would the authorities implement the law banning commercial vehicles travelling on the right lane, given that this would cause massive congestion?,” he asked.
Choong said that the high number of commercial vehicles plying highways is to ensure smooth delivery of goods and daily necessities. “Please do not discard the contributions of commercial vehicles in our daily lives. Do not make us the scapegoat for poor planning on the highways,” he said.
Negeri Sembilan Lorry Operators’ Association treasurer Alvin Loke said that there are already stretches along highways which do not allow overtaking as well as confining heavy vehicles to the left lanes. “We are hounded by the authorities waiting to pounce on us when we overtake. Enforcing this will increase the possibility of corruption,” he told the publication.
Meanwhile, express bus operators say the move is a correct one and they will abide by rules. According to Pan-Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali, this is because the Act clearly spells out the use of right lanes and speed limits.
“The right lane should only be used when overtaking. Buses and lorries are heavy vehicles and slow-moving. There is already a speed limit imposed on heavy vehicles. It is the right decision and we support it,” he said. However, he hopes that authorities will not clamp down on the entire fleet based on the actions of one errant driver. “The enforcement by the authorities is important in holding the driver solely responsible,” he said.
As reported earlier, transport ministry secretary-general Datuk Jana Santhiran Muniayan said the rule banning buses and lorries from the rightmost lane was gazetted in 2015, but had yet to be enforced.
“Under this rule, lorries and buses must stay in the left lane and are not allowed to speed. If they need to overtake, they may move to the second lane and then return to the left. However, they are strictly prohibited from using the third lane at any time,” he said.
The move to enforce the ban is one of the five measures that will be implemented to tighten regulations on commercial vehicles. The other regulatory enhancements include mandatory speed control device installation, GPS tracking, high-speed weigh-in-motion (HS-WIM) detectors at 11 highway locations, and additional automated enforcement system (AES) cameras.
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The reality on the ground is these lorries are speeding on right lane and pushing cars to the side or hogging the road. Will this Alvin guy be responsible to the traffic jam caused by these lorries?
It is obviously not practical as there is no enforcement. Ah Loke & JPJ prefers to focus on selling more number plates.
The computer does the selling, not the enforcement department. Making a rare appearance tantamount to spending most attention on number plates?
Fully agreed.
Lorry Bus also can cruising 110KM/H within highway speed limit so entitled to right most lane ok.
Heavy vehicle legal max speed on highway is 90km/h.
So you are one of those heavy vehicle drivers that buy your Driving License a.k.a. “Lesen Kopi”.
According to RTA l987 lorries and buses speed limit on a highway is NOT 110 km/h. It depend on what is stated on the vehicles’ body, it’s either 80 km/h or 90 km/h
Yes, they cruise at high speed, even higher than 110. At the left lanes they cannot do that, so they move right. Punishment should be heavy.
Best method is calibrated all heavy vehicles speed limit to only 80-90 kmh.
Why gazetted in 2015..10 years ago..yet belum enforced?
Then,whats the point of gazetting,in the first place?
Because of this tidak apa attitude..lorry operators tell their moronic drivers..lu suka mana lane pun ok as long as cepat reach destinasi.
Pathetic n disgusting n unacceptable.
In Europe they did that! All lorry have a speed limit set at 90 km/h
On the other hand, I am very agitated and fed up by this..
There are many heavy vehicles like oil tanker , 40 feet kontena truck keep on swerving between lanes recklessly without signal, high beam smaller cars and cruise at 140-160kmh on express way.. If accident happen than blame brake ROSAK… They think they still riding a kapcai and forgotten than they are driving a truck
Go to the red dot down south and observe where the commercial vehicles are authorised to drive!!
“Since there are many slow-moving vehicles travelling in the left lanes too, how would the authorities implement the law banning commercial vehicles travelling on the right lane:
Well guess the point apart from overtaking on the fast lane and since nowadays middle lane is the slowest of all and everyone wants to hog on it even more justifiable for everyone to use the fast lane now onwards to justify overtaking lor.
Really hate it when this lorry association c0ck trying to defend their position even they know they are in the wrong.
They are the main cause heavy casualties on the hiway.
Good move to enforce the ban.
Heavy vehicles take forever to overtake and return to their left lane.It became worse when they decide to stay in the right lane whenever there’s traffic crawl.
The authorities should pay more attention on the drivers (free from drugs), make sure no overloading, overloading is major cause of concern, it will affect the breaking distance, the tyres. The authorities should fine and black list and ban the lorry owners if found guilty. Highway are built for all vehicles whether they drive in the left or right, this no issue, issues are what i mentioned earlier.
Good! not many thing I agreed with our current gov, but this is sooooooo goood. I think most of us saw lorry and bus speeding this right lane (brake not rosak I think), but not to forget they also lane hogging at 70kmh n take ages to overtake, changing lane without signal, suddenly changing lane even we are soooo close. N to both Alvin & Alvin, this actually will smoothen traffic, what poor planning of highway? highway does not move, your lorry is.
I’ve never in 37 years of living known that heavy vehicles are allowed by law on the right lane. The professional drivers of petrol tanks, cpo, legitimate transporters abide by this, I’ve never seen them in the right lane and they drive safely and stable. It’s these unscrupulous half past five operators that drive dangerously.
You would have seen if you had 37 years of driving.
According to RTA l987 lorries and buses speed limit on a highway is NOT 110 km/h. It depend on what is stated on the vehicles’ body, it’s either 80 km/h or 90 km/h
I would also suggest JPJ to ban small capacity motorbike / kapcai from using the very right lane, which i think some countries did impose this ruling as well.
Agree to ban. Heavy vehicle is supposed to be safe and slow. If they need to crawl behind another slow vehicle, let it be. It is safer that way than to overtake at slow pick up speed and endanger higher speed vehicles on the right lane. It would also reduce traffic jam if all heavy vehicles are to keep to the left at all times.
Do enforce speed limits too! 90km/j means 90! Not 120km/j!
I haven’t seen a highway with 2 lanes! . If there is ,is negligible. Heavy vehicles, using the outer lane is already speeding and very dangerous to other road users. I support the ban 100% and I have been in the logistics industry more than 25 years.
I wonder who is this Alvin guy doing his job. I am frequent road user and could see all these lorries are driving as if driving a sports car in the highway especially Elite and Kesas. Their actions are very dangerous and yet this association is selfish thinking about themselves rather than safety other road user.
Heavy vehicle common cause of crash was speeding. Lorry’s company/driver willing to pay thousands just to remove the speed cut off. Gov should look into this matter first.
What do you mean it’s not the right move?! It is exactly the right move! Have you seen how this people drive? Big trucks flying on the highway at speeds exceeding speed limits for cars and those slow buggers who thinks they can hog the right lane whenever they feel to…