NYC Cracks Down on Overweight Trucks to Protect the BQE

By Y.M. Lowy

The New York City Department of Transportation is expanding its crackdown on overweight trucks using the BQE. After seeing a 60% drop in overweight vehicles on the Queens-bound side, the city will now focus on Staten Island-bound traffic.

Starting March 24, there will be a 90-day warning period for truckers, and after that, fines of $650 will begin on June 22.

The reason for this crackdown is simple: overweight trucks damage roads, and fixing them is expensive. The BQE, especially the part in downtown Brooklyn, was built in the 1940s, and its weight limits are lower than today’s standards. Some trucks have been found exceeding the 40-ton weight limit by as much as 100%.

To tackle this issue, the city is using a technology that automatically checks the weight of trucks as they drive. 

In just one year, the average number of overweight trucks on the BQE dropped from nearly 8,000 per month to about 3,000.

The NYC DOT hopes to protect the BQE from further damage and reduce the need for costly repairs.