The Ministry of Defence got new trucks… that can’t drive on Dutch roads

You know that frustrating feeling when, after having meticulously measured your apartment, that super cute, newly purchased, side table just will not fit into the nook you’d intended it for?

As with your (granted imaginary) trendy side table, the Dutch Ministry of Defence’s brand new trucks are just a couple of centimetres too big for Dutch roads reports the NOS. 😅

With a height a few centimetres taller than the legal four metres, turns out they aren’t allowed to drive on Dutch roads — making the 1600 trucks pretty redundant.

Translation: “One of the Scania Gryphus variants of the Ministry of Defense appears, in combination with the ISO standard, to be an 8-foot container higher than the legally permitted 4 metres. Together with the Ministry of Defense, the supplier will carry out measurements for confirmation and, if necessary, solve the problem.”

Exemption request

The outgoing Minister of Defense, Ank Bijleveld, has written to the House of Representatives to ask that the military vehicles be exempted from the Road Traffic Act.

Bijleveld is hoping they’ll consent to the trucks being used for “a specific period of time and specific routes in the Netherlands.” Meanwhile, she must be dealing with some pretty heavy buyers remorse, as the trucks must remain parked for the time being. 🤦‍♀️

The Ministry had previously been assured that the Scania Gryphus type trucks with special containers were less than four metres high and perfectly suitable for Dutch roads.

As that turns out not to be the case (whoops!), the Ministry announced that the supplier has agreed to solve the problem.

If everything works out, the trucks are meant to replace the current vehicles which are more than 30 years old.

Do you think the military trucks should be cleared for Dutch roads? Tell us in the comments below!

Featured Image: Ministerie van Defensie/Press Release

Christine Stein Hededam 🇩🇰
Christine Stein Hededam 🇩🇰
A Dane with a special place in her heart for Minnesota, Christine is now falling in love with everything Dutch. Between finishing her bachelor’s degree, learning Dutch, and doing yoga teacher training, you will find her wandering about the Hague. Always up for visiting new places, she loves to explore the Netherlands with friends and takes pride in scoping out cute cafés (wherein to discuss books, big plans, and food).

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