Weighty Issue

**TruckerTedNYC** · 08.17.2012

Dear TR: On a recent episode of Ice Road Truckers on the History Channel, a seasoned trucker weighed his tanker at his company, headed out on the road and was promptly ticketed and fined at a weigh station for being overweight. I know from working in the CATV industry that anything one sees on TV may be invalid or untrue. Therefore, how could this happen? I have even heard trucker songs where the lyrics complain about "...fines for being overweight..." I know to err is human, but how can this keep happening if most trucking companies have accurate scales and they do not want to be fined. They know how hard it is to find and keep good truckers. How does this happen? Am I missing something politically? Why is it so difficult to accurately weigh a combination truck? Thanks, Ted

**STexan** · 08.17.2012

Didn't see the episode so I can't comment on what may or may not have happened in reality. A driver can weigh, see he may be over slightly, and may opt to take his chances. Or the driver may have not been properly educated on weight laws that pertain to that particular area and was basing his decision to go on what he assumed was lawful there. Or, he may have been weighed on an INaccurate scale at one location or the other. Things happen and not all scales are 100% accurate, 100% of the time.

**KMac** · 08.17.2012

Did he weigh before taking on fuel? My truck holds.200 gal and another 50 in the reefer... that's in the.neighborhood of 2000 lbs.

**TruckerTedNYC** · 08.17.2012

Thanks STexan for your time.

I lived in the Webster-Houston area for a year. I used to jog on Galveston Beach. Big state with massive highways and stellar Tex-mex food.

Ted.

**TruckerTedNYC** · 08.17.2012

Thanks KMac,

The Ice Road Truckers TV show did not indicate if the trucker fueled his rig first.

Ted.

**Numb** · 08.17.2012

"most truck companies have a scale"?? most DON'T, but will pay for u to scale at a Cat scale. being caught over weight is your own fault. Unless it is the few,(hopefully), miles driven to get to a scale.

**dptrucker** · 08.17.2012

some company scales are not accurate. though cat scales will pay for your tix if you used their scales i beleive

**TruckerTedNYC** · 08.17.2012

Thanks Numb,

New knowledge here. I am new to the field. While I have your attention--being we are near the same age, as I am 51, would you recommend driving a tractor-trailer as a career?

Ted.

**Taildragon** · 08.17.2012

One common thing that happens in the winter is the truck will pick up snow and ice as you drive, all up around the frame and crossmembers, anywhere around the wheels, it all weighs something. Also if you are at a place where you have got to weigh yourself, it is very easy to forget to add your own weight to the truck weight, when the DOT weighs you, you are always in the cab, whereas when you weigh yourself, you are in the scalehouse, not in the cab.