The Qihe Toll Station of Shandong Gaosu has been accused of allowing overweight trucks to access the highway in exchange for payment. A driver from Shandong reported that the toll station in Qihe County, Dezhou City, opens the gates for overweight trucks if they pay a fee of 260 yuan each. On the nights of October 21 and 22, reporters observed multiple overweight trucks successfully entering the highway from the Qihe Toll Station. However, on October 24, Song, the toll station manager, claimed that the station strictly prohibits overweight trucks, vehemently denying any such incidents.
According to the reporting driver, there are over ten manufacturers of low-speed four-wheel electric vehicles, commonly known as "old man happiness," in Gaotang County, Liaocheng City, Shandong Province. Every month, large quantities of these vehicles need to be transported nationwide. He usually drives trucks that transport these vehicles. National regulations state that vehicle transport trucks can carry a maximum of nine standard vehicles, but to increase profits, his boss insists on loading more than ten "old man happiness" vehicles at a time. The boss reportedly contacted intermediaries, stating that by paying 260 yuan per vehicle, trucks could pass through the Qihe Toll Station without hindrance.
The driver mentioned that since April of this year, they have been paying this fee at Qihe Toll Station, and he feels the toll staff are aware of the license plates of cars that have paid, as he has faced no obstruction when passing through.
During the investigation, it was noted that overweight trucks usually attempt to enter the highway during late night hours. Over the course of two nights, from around 1 AM, vehicles began arriving at Qihe Toll Station, appearing to await instructions. Observations revealed that these trucks were loaded with as many as 18 "old man happiness" vehicles, often stored in two layers, and even extending beyond the truck's width.
On October 21, starting around 2 AM, a series of vehicle transport trucks passed through without issues. On October 22, multiple overweight trucks also entered the highway after 3:30 AM, with no intervention from toll staff.
According to public information, a joint memorandum from the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Public Security, and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology was released on July 14, 2025, outlining clear regulations for defining overloaded transport trucks, specifying a maximum capacity of nine vehicles at a time.
A driver reported that despite transporting "old man happiness" vehicles, they are subject to regulations like standard cargo vehicles. The station manager denied any wrongdoing regarding overweight trucks, stating they were always turned away. He refused a request to review toll station surveillance footage, citing lack of permission.
A driver revealed that local truck fleets, specializing in "old man happiness" transportation, average four to five trips a month, indicating a significant sum in fees collected over time. On October 24, the driver was informed by his boss that from now on, payment would no longer allow vehicles to pass through Qihe Station.
The situation will continue to be monitored for further developments.
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