Government: It stays that way - it's over at 40 tons

The federal government believes that an increase in the permissible total weight of truck transport to 44 tons would put too much strain on the road infrastructure and therefore rejects it.

The federal government is not currently planning any increase in the general maximum permissible total mass for truck transport. This emerges from the government's response to a small request from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. According to the government, a general increase in the maximum permissible total weight for vehicle combinations from 40 tons to 44 tons and thus an adjustment to combined transport would result in considerable additional burdens on the road infrastructure and bridge structures. This also applies to bridges and road pavements in the downstream network, which tend to be weaker, the answer says.

Grain export from Ukraine up to 44 tons possible

The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) has asked the countries responsible for the subordinate network to comment on a possible temporary increase. All countries would have rejected a corresponding increase. However, the BMDV has asked the states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (MV) to temporarily (currently until August 31, 2022) set up a Total mass for vehicle combinations of up to 44 tons "not objectionable". In addition, the ministry asked the two countries

“refrain from checking compliance with the Sunday and public holiday driving ban and compliance with the Saturday driving ban during holiday periods to simplify and speed up the transport of agricultural products”.

Grain exports from Ukraine halved

When asked by the Union faction, the federal government also stated that, according to Ukraine, an average of five million tons of grain per month was exported before the start of the war. In April 2022 the value was around 600,000 tons. According to information from the EU Commission, around 1.7 million tons of grain were exported in May 2022 - in June 2022 more than 2.2 million tons.

Author: Nadine Bradl