NTT Freight Forum Calls for Zero ODOL Exemption for Island Regions

The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) freight forum has rejected the implementation of the Zero Over Dimension and Overloading (ODOL) policy in the province, calling on the central government to grant special discretion to island regions such as NTT.

The call was made by Hery Boli, secretary of the NTT Freight Forum, during a hearing with Commission IV of the NTT Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) in the commission’s meeting room.

“We are here because the implementation of regulations on Zero ODOL, as stipulated in Law No. 22 of 2009 and Government Regulation No. 30 of 2021, should take account of the geographical conditions of island regions. NTT cannot be treated in the same way as other places,” Hery said at the hearing, attended by Commission IV members, the NTT Freight Forum, the Harbourmaster and Port Authority (KSOP), the NTT Transportation Agency, ASDP and police on Friday (16 October 2026).

Hery said the forum supported road safety, but argued that the national rules did not reflect NTT’s circumstances as an archipelagic province. He said micro, small and medium-sized enterprises account for 75% of logistics transport operators in NTT.

“If the Zero ODOL rules are implemented with drastic restrictions on vehicle dimensions in the short term, our businesses could collapse because we do not have the capital to replace our fleets with vehicles that meet national standards,” he said.

Hery added that reducing load capacity would drive up logistics costs. Businesses would have to make more trips or add vehicles to transport the same volume of goods.

“This could trigger increases in fuel costs and drivers’ wages, ultimately pushing up the prices of essential goods. If truck capacity is drastically cut to meet standard requirements, freight operators’ income will also fall sharply,” he said.

He said another problem was the absence of regulations governing delivery charges. Cargo owners demanded low prices while also seeking to maximise loads, leaving freight operators with little bargaining power. The high cost of modifying trucks to meet the rules was an additional burden for small and medium-sized businesses.

“If there is no standardisation of tariffs to match the restrictions on loads, freight operators’ income will fall sharply,” he said.

The forum also raised concerns about the direct effect of Zero ODOL on the prices of staple foods in NTT.

Hery cited the example of rice distribution from Tenau Port in Kupang to Rote. Under national ODOL standards, a medium-sized truck would be allowed to carry only eight tonnes of rice. Transporting 40 tonnes of rice from Java would therefore require five trucks making return trips.

With a special exemption for island regions, trucks could carry 12–15 tonnes per journey, meaning three vehicles would be enough for 40 tonnes. This would speed up distribution to inland markets and help keep rice supplies stable and affordable by reducing transport costs.

The NTT Freight Forum has made four proposals. First, it wants the NTT provincial government to seek an exemption from the central government, given the province’s reliance on road transport and ferries.

“If truck capacity is reduced, the cost of hiring space on ships by volume will surge,” Hery said.

Second, it says tonnage limits should be based on local conditions rather than a rigid national standard. Third, it wants delivery charges regulated to ensure fair competition and prevent cargo owners from pushing prices below a viable level. Fourth, it is urging ASDP to add vessels and crossing routes, which serve as a backbone for logistics in disadvantaged, frontier and outermost regions (3T).

Hery noted that enforcement of the Zero ODOL policy is planned to begin nationwide on 1 January 2027 and remains in the socialisation phase. However, some officers from the Harbourmaster and Port Authority’s office have already begun enforcement action.

“We ask the NTT DPRD to urge the head of the KSOP and ASDP to introduce a policy during this transition period,” he said.

NTT DPRD urges Transport Ministry to review rules

Ana Waha Kolin, who chaired the hearing, also urged the Ministry of Transportation to review the Zero ODOL regulations, which she said were unsuitable for island regions such as NTT.

She said the request was among the hearing’s recommendations. “The first recommendation from the DPRD is that all stakeholders involved in transport should jointly make a special visit to the ministry and Commission IV of the national DPR,” she said.

She said regulations considered unsuitable for NTT should be reviewed because the province’s geography is defined by its archipelagic character.

“NTT is spread across the sea, so regulations from the centre cannot be applied here in the same detailed way as in provinces that form a single landmass,” she said.

NTT has 566 islands separated by sea and is heavily reliant on maritime transport and ferry crossings, she said, adding that this geography should be considered by the Transport Ministry.

The DPRD said the ODOL issue was not merely a matter of traffic regulation, but one that affected the livelihoods and broader economy of the people of NTT.

“This concerns the movement of NTT’s economy and cannot be left unaddressed,” she said.

The DPRD warned that enforcing Zero ODOL nationwide from 1 January 2027 without a special exemption for NTT could sharply increase logistics costs and the prices of essential goods, with knock-on effects on regional inflation.

“These are the kinds of issues causing concern among the public, particularly freight operators, and affecting efforts to build NTT’s economy,” she said.