The final word on allowable axle weights.
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by telcobilly, May 24, 2010.
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So i'm wondering...
Why do so many on this thread not care what the law is?
The weight limit for EVERY STATE is in the rand mcnally motor carriers atlas.
Hell, i hardly ever scale a load, but thats because most of my very heavy loads aren't going through areas with a lot of scales....for example, i just hauled 44,000 lb of wood pellets 150 miles. -
My co pays for and insists that every load is scaled either at the shipper or a TS. I do a T-Check or the TCH card so it's no skin off my back. I'm pulling a reefer so that extra weight is something I have to be aware of. One time I was over on my drives with a dry van, coming through Grand Junction CO. I saw the overage and parked, walking dejectedly to the scalehouse. The officer said, "I didn't call you in, you are free to go". I think I was only 140lb over on the drives, gross was ok.
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So let me throw this out there for anyone that may be wondering...
on a spread axle your rated at 12,000 (steer), 34,000 (drive), and 20,000 / 20,000 on the trailer? -
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Get a Motor Carriers Road Atlas. They have all the states max axle and gross weights. DO NOT FALL FOR THE OLE "THEY'LL LET YOU HAVE...." as i did and it cost me just for being 260 pounds over on the trailer but not over gross! He had that Big CB and being a nube those oh so many years ago I let that Big Radio guide me to a nice fine!
Follow the guide and you'll be ok. Now this has been addressed before in the forum but not all states follow that 12,000-34,000-80,000 limits! Some even let you go over those like in the NW! Untill you figure out how to scale and adjust do not fall for the CB or Forum BS that says oh they'll let you have 300, 600, 1000 over axle if not over gross! But it's your money so do as you wish but use your brain and the information PRINTED in a good published guide. The size of a CB does not an expert make or something in these forums!
There used to be a book I used when I did oversize called The Weights and Measures Guide but I can't find it on line and it was a long time ago when I had that ugly orange book! It had all the information I needed and it had the restricted routes and over pass information. It was better than any other publication at the time but the Rand has excellent info in the front that stays up to date but you need to check it every year and if there are changes get a new one as it's a lot cheaper buying a new atlas which is tax deductible over paying a fine which isn't tax deductible or topping out a trailer because a route or bridge changed!
Case in point. Augusta, GA. Olive Branch Road I believe the name was.Had a nice steel R/R over pass bridge. They put some really nice asphalt on the road and changed the signs and information at the state level. Yes a few local trucks got topped in the first few days after the retopping on the street before the signs got changed BUT because OTR and even local drivers don't check information on a regular basics, I know of several who drove on the road on a regular route that topped out their trailers because they didn't keep up to date and because they were fairly complacent and didn't read the signs before the horrible crunching and sudden stoppage woke them up!
Good information is a must and a good published publication is a lot better than word of mouth!
I could tell you the stories of CB information in NJ and NYC directing you a certain way only to put you on a road with a low overpass or a dead end so the CB operator and cohorts could rob you or hijack that load! Again good information!!RECON08 Thanks this.
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