THE Long Beach City Prosecutor's Office said that Pacific Coast Container (PCC) after pleading no contest will pay a US$460,000 for 47 counts transporting overweight loads through Long Beach.

"Overweight vehicles are unsafe for our roads," City Prosecutor Doug Haubert said. "They are dangerous because they create potholes for motorists and they can't brake in time when traffic slows."

The report said the City Prosecutor's Office filed the case in early January after earlier attempts were made to persuade Oakland-based PCC and its affiliate trucking companies to follow the rules for vehicles. It noted that fines for overweight commercial vehicles are based on excessive weight. PCC's loads were alleged to be, in most cases,10,000 pounds or more overweight.

"Some of these loads were dangerously overweight," said Deputy City Prosecutor Chad Salzman, who handled the case. He had described PCC in a statement in January as being "the most egregious violator we have seen".

The report noted that aside from being dangerous companies that frequently ignore the rules on overloading gain a competitive advantage over companies that operate within the law.

"Strict enforcement of the law will ensure a truly competitive environment," said Mr Haubert. "It is not fair to those who abide by the law to compete against those who ignore it. This penalty should send a strong message to other companies that they need to comply with the law, especially when public safety is at stake."