Refusing a Load/Overweight

Hi all -
I am married to a truck driver and asking a question that may have been asked previously but I am baffled by his situation.

He did a reset in AZ over the weekend and on Monday his "load" came through that another driver was brining a trailer from CA that he would then hook onto and go. That driver was supposed to arrive at 6pm.

Anyway, he came and hubby hooked up. Took a peek in the little window in the back and there was stuff crammed right up to it and couldn't see anything. Got back in the truck and the air pressure (?) was WAY high. Knew he was over weight and the tandems (?) were all the way up. He said it just didn't feel right.

Scaled and I know there's an 80,000lbs limit....he weighed dang near 87,000. He called dispatch and they told him not to move that they would figure it out. Other driver drove from CA that much overweight and is now on his way again.

So, here sits hubby - it's Tuesday now. Dispatch sent another empty down and he and my husband are supposed to unload some of the overweight trailer (into the empty).

My question is (as well as his), he's not making the money he would be driving loaded. For us, every little bit counts and we have a little one, Christmas is coming up, etc. Is detention pay the closest thing he'll get to compensate for this loss?

Any advice would be appreciated. He understands and I understand that you have to take the bad with this good and he does enjoy his job. This has been a one time thing - but to go all day w/ out a load, then have this #### happen and then HE has to be the one to "make it right" ... is this just the norm?

Thank you!

 

Thank you all for your responses so far.

This is a really dreadful situation, unfortunately. At this moment, he is still sitting in AZ . . . waiting. I guess there is another driver from the same company with him, waiting to help "unload" some of this mess.

My husband was completely shocked after realizing how overweight he was with that trailer on, that this other guy drove it as far as he did without - saying a word, or worse getting caught, having an accident, etc.

He told me the gentleman said to him at the transfer "You might want to check that, I think they put too much weight on ...[sic]whatever portion of the truck". Then took off and that's when he realized all this trouble!

Hubby is very frustrated right now:smt065 .

Thanks again, much appreciated!