Calling out the COLOSTOMY BAGS

I have load gauges and I scale everything over 40k because shippers don't know the weights of their products. Fact is, shippers are WRONG with their stated weights ALL the freakin' time. Home Depot was routinely off by a MINIMUM of 3,000lbs on every trailer I ever pulled for them. You may know what's on your tractor, but you don't know a thing about that actual trailer tandem weight until you drag it onto a scale. Unless, of course, it's your own trailer and you have load gauges on that, too, but in the real world... most of us do not. Then again, if you run a route that is regular and doesn't have a scale on it, well, that's not the same game, either.

 

Did on some trucks, others not so much. Besides, suspension guages are only good for the drives.

Had a "Right Weigh" system on a couple of older trucks once. Biggest piece of crap I ever used.

The major key in keeping your axles legal is balancing the load between the drives and the trailer. Figure since most 53' trailers can't be loaded past the 48' mark unless the load will cube out before it scales out, it's just a matter of sliding the tandems up until they are under the rear-most part of the load. As long as you are legal on gross, you will generally be legal on tandems, or at least close enough for government work.

Balancing freight on a spread axle is a bit more complicated if you don't have a moveable spread. Basically have to take a more proactive approach during the loading process in making sure the load sits in the right spot. Easy-peasy with a deck, pain in the tail with a spread axle box.

Since I always know my empy weight, I know just how much crap can go on my deck legally. If they want to toss more in, they can find another truck. I have flat refused loads due to overloading, and generally kicked up enough fuss to ensure I'd never be back (throwing things and occassionally people helps with this).

Bear in mind, I worked for carriers that would back me all the way when it came to weight. Your experience may differ.

 

I'd say 30% of the trailers I pick up are pre sealed and 40-44k. Scaling is free and takes a whopping 30 seconds with the app.

Now if the trailer is not sealed and I can see the load, yeah I can get it legal without scaling. But I usually do anyway because of the above reasons and also because it tends to improve fuel mileage. Since that's tracked and affects my bonus... yep, still scaling.

Im not saying you're wrong at all, just stating reasons why I do. I don't have any gauges to tell me anything so it's either eyeball on load or wild guess. I'm not taking a chance at a ticket with a wild guess just because it'll save me a minute of my day.

 

As Friday said - most of my loads are presealed, so I have no idea where the freight ends.

Had a load of.laundry products where they put the dryer sheets in the nose and had the liquid detergent hanging off the tailgate. I've grossed 70k but been at 34 on the drives.

Then you factor in the number of different trailers we have. Great Dane, Wabash, and Hyundai all weigh different amounts. Composite flooring versus traditional oak makes a difference too, and we have smart model year trailers with different floors because that's what we could get at the time.

Not scaling works for you, it doesn't work for me. Then again I don't pay for the scale tickets. If I did then I might play a little looser.

 

Any chance I get to spend their money I'll take.

 

Too bad I can't figure a way to expense out pie and ice cream

 

Any rough estimates? Heaviest?

 

I've had 34,900 with my Volvo, but I didn't note the trailer make.

 

Hyundai tend to be lightest, followed by Wabash and then Great Dane. All estimates, but if you call in you can get the empty weight of each trailer.