Not stopping at weigh stations when it’s backed up to the freeway

Around 5-7 years ago

 

Purely for driving, you are correct... no requirement for testing here. Unlike in the US where there is a unified federal agency regulating the industry, here the feds really have no authority regarding trucking and it is strictly a provincial purview.

It is also a more complicated situation here with respect to the legality of testing in the workplace, although I know you're very familiar with it in your little corner of the world. On that note, as a truck driver, or when I was supplying other contract services to any of the projects up there, I never had to test. However, I was almost always under escort/the direction of another contractor while on site.

 

On topic... I have run several scales in the US, including in California, when they were backed up into the driving lanes. I have done the same here in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and don't think I ever have in BC. I've only ever been run-down once and that was from the Leduc scale. I was in my personal pickup pulling a commercial trailer. I just played stupid and all the officer gave me was a fix-it ticket for insurance and registration. Got that sorted out and no fines, no points, etc.

 

Police here can suspend your license on the side of the road, and do it often.
Then in court the judge decides IF you get it back, and IF so when. He was very fortunate to only get a couple years suspension. He had to retake his license from the written exam to drivers test all over again as well. I just don't see trucks here blowing past the scales unless they are closed obviously...the penalties are harsh.

 

I doubt in a pickup they would really care here either...but class 8 they sure do. They don't necessarily chase you down, they just have a cop patrolling the area your headed to stop you when you get tho them. CVSE here in BC has serious power over us truck drivers. Best to keep them on our vood side, and not do things that piss them off such as going past the scale. If permits are in order, truck and trailers are in good shape, isn't a need to drive by them. Doing so sure makes you look guilty though. Surprisingly nice people though if you are following the rules!

 

Generally Cali closes the scales as soon as they get backed up to the point they are going to get on the road, and if they don't I just run them. I do not think they want you out on the road. Now New Mexico is a different animal, they do not care if they back you up to Amarillo, they will chase you down and fine you, and at times have the rig towed, usually they let you drive it back to the scales though.

Some states mess with pickups and some don't.
I have found Canadian, at least western Canada, scales better to deal with usually than ours, plus you do not have 49 different sets of rules to deal. If I needed a permit (other than oversize) I would just stop at the first open scales I came to and get it. There has been times I never saw an open scales too. lol

 

That's why country called UNITED STATES , lol. Every state want to improvise, some state aka Florida will be mad at you if you going through scale below 40MPH, some state aka North Carolina want to pull every single truck to scale and wanted you to craw at 5MPH while you on scale, some state aka Pennsylvania have portable scale so you never know when you get stoped etc

 

We used to sit and wait a few minutes for them to close at times. They would only be open for a few minutes at times when traffic was heavy, then close till they ran them all across. I do not recall ever waiting on a backed up scale in cali.

 

Lol.
Craziness man!
I rarely leave BC, and if I do its a short way into Alberta is all. Scales is a very slow roll across the pad at best...often a full stop to really get a true weight on each set of axles.