Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners’ Association announces 25% hike in freight rates

NAMAKKAL: The Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners’ Association (TNLOA) has resolved to raise freight rates by 25% with effect from June 15, citing increasing diesel prices. The decision was announced by state president C Dhanraj after an executive committee meeting here on Wednesday.During the meeting, members reviewed concerns such as the rise in diesel costs, freight tariffs, association subscriptions and fines imposed on trucks found to be overloaded.Speaking to the media, Dhanraj said compulsory fitting of GPS monitoring devices would place further financial pressure on vehicle owners. He appealed to the govt to revoke the plan. “More than 10,000 trucks have been stopped at different points because of repeated checks and limitations and sought swift action from the Union govt,” he said.He called for reimbursement of the steep annual charges collected by the transport department on older vehicles and emphasised that penalties for overloaded trucks should be applied strictly as per the rules. He urged the govt to ensure vehicle stickers are made available at reasonable prices.