Overweight loads

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by txviking, Oct 1, 2009.

  1. txviking

    txviking <strong>Trucker Geek</strong>

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    I actually acknowledged that exact point in my response; perhaps you should re-read it?

    I know I was wrong to accept that load, and again, it's the only time I've done so. I did leave that company (Covenant Transport) not much later. And this was all over a decade ago. I happened to come across the Qualcomm photo while going through old paperwork, hence my post.

    My point, which several people seem to have missed, is that I am not confused about whether I was in the wrong. I know I was. I was just merely curious to hear about other people's experiences in similar situations.
     
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  3. broncrider

    broncrider Road Train Member

    sometimes its ok to bend the rules

    hell, MT gives you 8%, for the low fee of $10 (legal for 80,000....but can run 86,000 for $10)....i used to buy 3 or 4 permits a week (mainly cuz i couldn't out manuaver the local DOT man)
     
  4. GasHauler

    GasHauler Master FMCSA Interpreter

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    That's up to the discretion of the officer. They can hold you until you make the truck legal and I'm sure if you went into the scales dictating a 8% rule they will do just that or if their boss is there watching them. But I'm sure if you act civil like you probably do they will do just like you say. Just about every state will give you a few pounds over if you act courteous and professional. But you never know.

    Take AZ for one. I've seen them allow nothing over the legal amount. Plus they feel if you can reduce the load you must when trying to get a permit. That's kind of hard when you have to remove the blade of a bulldozer that hasn't been removed in years. It's best not to count on any state giving you a go if you're over.
     
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  5. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    I'm not nice. I used to be nice....until I turned 3, but I'm not nice anymore. I had a dispatcher tell me to run with a heavy load years ago.

    "Sure I will. Put it in writing and fax me a signed letter stating that the company will cover all expenses and I will pull it. Its not going to be cheap because I am going to purposely hit every scale I can. What? Want me to dodge the scale? Well, okay...but youre going to have to line my pockets."
     
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  6. chief

    chief Heavy Load Member

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    Flavor Country, NC
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    I think what the guy is trying to say is that he knew what he did was wrong, but did it any way. but it was a long time ago, and he got away with it. so every thing's cool.
     
  7. Peanut Butter

    Peanut Butter Road Train Member

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    When ever i loaded i went straight to a scale and weighed, if i was over it went back to the shipper and they fixed it, i didnt care who got mad i wouldnt run a load that was over weight.
     
  8. txviking

    txviking <strong>Trucker Geek</strong>

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    That was my usual approach. But there wasn't a dock where I picked this trailer up; it was sitting overweight in a drop yard. So my alternative would've been to refuse the load.

    Which, of course, is what I should have done. But I was worried about being fired if I did so.

    I know better now, though. :)
     
  9. Jacob6875

    Jacob6875 Light Load Member

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    The problem is when you pick up loads at drop yards. I was talking another driver in my company at our drop yard near iowa city about a trailer that was overgross by 300lbs and was 37.6k on trailer tandems. This load had made it from denver to near iowa city somehow and he was supposed to take it to chicago.

    He did refuse the load and the trailer was still sitting in the drop yard when I left. I am sure Werner just gave it to someone else tho since most drivers do not seem to weigh anything. It amazes me when I swap with drivers pulling 46k loads and i ask if they weighed it they tell me that they were bypassed through a couple scales so it should be legal >.<
     
  10. Rollover the Original

    Rollover the Original Road Train Member

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    I hauled quite a few "heavy" loads many years ago until I sold My last truck. I knew every route around every scale in the US so I never worried.

    Now that I drive other peoples equipment and don't make what I used to and it's over weight for the region then it'll get reloaded or I WILL have written proof of an ok to pull it from my dispatcher IN HAND before it moves! That comes from driving in the early 90's for old CXI out of Springfield MO. told to pull a heavy load of meat in that POS trailer that they had fixed the floor with a sheet of freaking steel plate! Over the phone that moron college boy told me "we'll cover it " so I went with it and sure enough that $380 ticket came out of MY wallet! NEVER AGAIN! If it aint in writing it never happened!
     
  11. Half a Load

    Half a Load Light Load Member


    Man I could tell this same story many times! The guy on the forklift always seems to think he can load my trailer better than me. I suppose that comes from dealing with so many 'steering wheel holders', but what the fudge? If I tell him how to load it and it's wrong, it's my problem, not his.

    I did just what you did, they just wouldn't listen, drove 80 miles to the scale and 80 back. Had to wait until the next day, un-tarp, and they moved it back where I SAID TO PUT IT! in the first place, back to the scale, spot on! (I know my truck!)

    Back to the overweight question... I don't pull overweight loads, not over gross OR over axle.

    And here's why: I got stopped in a 3 axle (+tag, which was up, per the boss) dump truck with 93,500 pounds of gravel; the company got 3 tickets: Aggravated Gross Overweight, Over on axle ratings, Over on tire ratings; the company got a $12,000 dollar fine, yes, that's not a typo, $12,000.00. Imagine if I had to pay that!!!

    So, I picked up a load of lumber in Acton, I could tell by the gauges I was at least 5,000 over. Called my dispatcher and he said: "It's only going 190 miles, just run it". I said no friggin way (I'm a dick like that, sometimes.) He made me go 20 miles to a scale, guess what? 5,000 pounds over! 20 miles back, un-tarp, un-strap, wait, wait...... re-strap, re-tarp, drive 190 miles. Took a whole day!!!!
    He got the point, and stopped trying to make me take overweight loads, and when he did try, occationally, and I said no, he didn't argue. I think most dispatchers will not demand as much as some drivers think, maybe they just have an unsubstantiated fear of being fired!

    I have a digital recorder connected to my cell phone. You can get them at Radio Shack. I record all conversations with my dispatcher. If I get fired, I can't stop them, but I can sue for wrongful termination and I can collect unemployment as long as I can prove I wasn't fired for any fault of mine, hence, the recordings.

    When I started this business, I ran team, best thing I ever did, learned a lot. My partner, Steve, said that pulling an overweight load is like driving drunk. You lose ALL rights if involved in an accident with an overweight load, regardless of whose fault it really is, and the driver is ALWAYS responsible for the load. So I don't pull overweight, and if I don't have the right equipment to properly secure the load, I'll refuse that too.

    If everyone stopped hauling illegal loads, there would be less of a problem. But someone is always willing to take the risk for the money, or job security, just like accepting cheap freight, so it continues to be a problem.


    Drop and Hook? I had a problem with one driver who didn't know how to load a trailer. I was sick of taking my time, that I didn't get paid for, to fix his screw-up. So, the next time I got one of his pre-loads, I purposely passed the Catscale, and didn't avoid the state scales. Went right over 2 scales in Virgina (really! Imagine my surprise!), and then got stopped in Tennessee. 600 pounds over on the trailer. He let me go with a ticket, but the company got fined and I got fined. After that I refused to take any trailers that were pre-loaded by that guy.

    It's a real pain in the assets, but I have learned that
    sometimes I have to take off my pink panties, and tell them just where the bear craps in the woods. If I let them take advantage of me once, they'll do it again and again.
    (sorry for being so long winded!)

    :biggrin_25516: :biggrin_25516: :biggrin_25516: :biggrin_25516: :biggrin_25516: :biggrin_25516:
     
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