Transporters submitted a formal request to the Ministry of Road and Transport of Mongolia to change the road-load standards of Mongolia.

The formal request states, “According to the current standard, the maximum allowable weight per axle of a vehicle is 11.5 tons, and for a six-axle vehicle, the total weight is up to 66 tons. However, authorities have started halting vehicles on the grounds of exceeding the total weight limit, despite individual axle weights remaining within the standard. We therefore request that this issue be resolved.”

In response, State Secretary of the Ministry of Road and Transport Development S. Batbold met with representatives from the National Road Transport Association of Mongolia, including its Head M. Enkhbold and Director of the Road and Transport Development Center D. Oyunbold.

State Secretary S. Batbold said, “Our country regulates vehicle load limits under the national standard MNS 4598:2025, ‘General Requirements for the Technical Condition of Road Vehicles.’ This standard specifies an axle load limit of 11 tons and a total vehicle weight limit of 44 tons. These limits are not unique to Mongolia and are in line with international practices. For example, China enforces a total weight limit of 49 tons, while both Russia and European Union countries observe a 44-ton limit.”

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Road and Transport further explained that calculating the maximum load by multiplying the number of axles by the maximum axle load and adding the vehicle’s weight is incorrect. Factors such as the number of axles, the distance between them, and the number of wheels per axle affect load distribution. The total load should not exceed the vehicle’s maximum allowable weight. In accordance with Article 9 of the Law on Standardization, Technical Regulation, and Accreditation of Conformity Assessment, national standards must comply with international and regional standards. As a signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, Mongolia aims at aligning its legal acts related to road transport with international standards. The Law on Auto Roads states that “it is advisable to comply with the provision that prohibits the operation of vehicles exceeding specified dimensions, weight, or load capacity without special protection or permission.”

With the arrival of warmer weather, moisture accumulates in roadbeds, reducing their load-bearing capacity and structural integrity. Overloaded transport causes increased potholes and cracks in the road surface, which poses a risk of accidents and can compromise the technical condition of vehicles.