Vehicle tracking and weighing technology could help van fleet managers comply with the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency’s (VOSA) drive to tackle overloaded vehicles.

Automatic number plate recognition cameras and weight-in-motion sensors embedded in roads have led to increased detection rates with more than half of light vans (55.1%) stopped last year for being overloaded.

Now Navman Wireless has teamed up with on-board weighing systems company, Red Forge to provide fleet managers with a system that automatically alerts when their vehicles’ weight limits are exceeded.

The system triggers an automatic alert in the driver’s cab, and simultaneously sends an alert message to the employer’s office PC or mobile phone.

“These latest VOSA statistics are remarkable and signal a worrying trend,” said Tony Neill, vice president, Navman Wireless.

“Companies should act now to avoid prohibition notices, licence revocations, hefty fines, criminal prosecutions and penalty points for drivers.

An illegally loaded van can prove a costly mistake but it is one that we can help companies avert.”