MoRTH issues draft standards for Road trains

The ministry states that the standards have been prepared after examining European benchmarks, keeping in mind Indian operating conditions.

India – Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) had issued draft notification of AIS113, standard to include the safety requirements of Road-Trains¹.

            The ministry says “The standards have been prepared after examining European benchmarks, keeping in mind Indian operating conditions. To revolutionize the transport of goods and reduce the overall logistic costs, the Automotive Industry Standards Committee has amended its AIS-113 Standard to include the safety requirements of Road-Trains,”

“These shall ply on select stretches to reduce congestion, save fuel and reduce noise & air pollution. The Automotive Industry Standards Committee has representatives from the relevant Ministries, Testing Agencies, Industry stakeholders, BIS etc.” ministry added

The amended standard AIS-113 (Code of Practice for Type Approval of Trailers / Semi-trailers of categories T2, T3 and T4 being towed by Motor Vehicles of categories N2 and N3) has been published for invitation of public comments, after which it shall be notified in due course.

¹Road-Train is a motor vehicle wherein the traction is provided by the puller, which is connected to a serial combination of trailers or semi-trailers.

Notes:

Category N: Means motor vehicles having at least four wheels used for the carrying goods which may also carry persons in addition to the goods subject to conditions.

•  Category N1: Means a motor vehicles used for carriage of goods and having a Gross vehicle Weight not exceeding 3.5 tons.
•  Category N2: Means a motor vehicles used for carriage of goods and having a Gross vehicle Weight exceeding 3.5 tons but not exceeding 12 tons.
•  Category N3: Means a motor vehicles used for carriage of goods and having a Gross vehicle Weight exceeding 12 tons.

Category T: This is all about Trailer Category, It is used for the carrying goods.

•  Category T1: Means a Trailer used for carriage of goods and having a Gross vehicle Weight not exceeding .75 tons.
•  Category T2: Means a Trailer used for carriage of goods and having a Gross vehicle Weight exceeding .75 tons but not exceeding 3.5 tons.
•  Category T3: Means a Trailer used for carriage of goods and having a Gross vehicle Weight exceeding 3.5 tons but not exceeding 10 tons.