To Weigh or Not to Weigh...that is the question

Florida scales do have Prepass.

Florida also has a special program with Prepass at their agricultural inspection stations ( http://prepass.com/services/prepassag/Pages/WhatisPrePassAg.aspx ). Prime is not signed up for the agriculture program, so, unless the ag station is closed (Which almost never happens, I went thru one during a tropical storm once with the power to the station out), your Prepass will ALWAYS give you a red light. However the Prepass will work as normal for scales in FL.

http://www.prepass.com/services/prepass/SiteInformation/Pages/ServiceMap.aspx

That is a map of all Prepass sites.

 

I would tell any new driver to first know how much each of your sets of axles are empty. Once you know the empty weight of the axles, you can better judge how much you can haul before scaling. A load of 20k will almost never need scaled, unless it is a very dense load and loaded all the way in the nose of the trailer. Experience will help you better judge when to scale and when to not scale. Another consideration is your load scale in the truck. If you have a calibrated load scale for the drive axles, you can use it to better judge when to scale. More to follow, as my computer will not let push the enter button to drop down a line.

 

Thanks joseph1135 I'm scheduled for orientation hopefully on 3/27, your post reminded me of a little off-take in class about CYA, also had to do when hotshotting cars. Keep it Sinny Side Up!!

 

Prime has Scales on some of their Trailers. (could be most or almost all)
That will definitely help.

 

i'm not sure if this has been answered, but how do you get a ticket/fine for being overweight? Does the cops pull you over, measure your truck, then fine you? Or do you get fined at the weigh station? But how can they fine you if you don't know that you're overweight, hence that's why you're weighing it in the first place, right?

 

Good refresher page I am getting back in the seat been out two years driving a local milk truck. (didn't scale anything just routed around it). Had a good system when I was over the road, but still scaled everything!!!
Trust your eyeball when learning to set the tandems, leave notes on the side of the trailer as you learn. You should see a pattern that will save you time later on. Taking the time just once to scale a load a second time, or even a third could someday pay off. Thety only charge you half after the first weigh.

 

Hey! A question I can actually answer. (First time for everything.) I'm only a student driver but used to spend summers yard dogging for grandpa back in the day. Anyway, the most restrictive state in the union is, of course, our own lovely state of California. In CA the center of the front tandem can't be more than 40' from the kingpin. But if you're not in CA you can move them back so you can haul heavier and stay legal. Also, a lot of yards will want you to move them all the way back when you drop. Thay way they all line up neatly and there is no overhang. So yeah, messing with tandems is just something you're gonna do regularly.

 

Some DOT carry portable scales in their vehicle if they happen to check you in a remote area. A scalehouse will tell you to pull around back and tell you to come in. They usually tell you to bring all your paperwork in. That means your Bill of Laden, permit book, your logbook if you have one along with your DL and medical card. They will issue a ticket on the spot either way. Sometimes it is written out to the company, sometimes the driver. Depending on the circumstances usually the company will pay it. If you are just a little over some are nice and give you an opportunity to correct it. States like LA will mail you a citation. As far as measuring only a few states are particular to bridge laws. They'll drag a tape right on the spot and even ask you to help hold it. I've only had that happen once.

A little trick when you are by yourself is to know the kingpin to the front of the trailer distance. Subtract that from the total length. Then subtract the bridge law length from it. That should leave you a number between 6-12' which you then measure off the back of the trailer. When you are by yourself it's easier to try and measure 8' off the back than trying to stretch out a tape 40' or so from the front. Some companies will premark their trailers with tape to help you. You can even use the panels on the trailer to help measure.

It's your job to know your weight. When you first get a truck/empty trailer, go scale it so you know what you can haul. Then each load you pick up you find the nearest scales. Most of the time it works out, sometimes not if you are in a remote area. That's where experience comes into play. Let's say you can haul 46,000. Most drivers have a comfortable weight they know they won't be over weight if you half arse guess the axles. For many that is around 38,000. Some less. They won't even scale out. If you haul like product in a van you can stick the end of the last pallet on the center of the back axle and be pretty close. I usually go about 6" past the last axle and if not perfect I'm within 2 holes. I make a game out of it. Balance the trailer before weighing. I very seldom have to reweigh. It's ideal to have your load balanced or favor the front some for a better ride.

Sometimes it gets tricky if you have a heavy load and a bridge law to contend with. You might find your self sliding the 5th wheel in them cases. But if your are ever overweight you go back to the shipper and have them remove some. There might be times you have to watch your fuel and run at half tanks to keep from being overweight. Or you might be a few hundred over and you'll know you'll burn enough fuel weight off before you get to a scale house.

There are even times you can't scale out. If you are questioning your weight then you either time the scale closing which many do at night or you might take a detour. Not recommended but even I have done a few scenic routes. The benefit of night driving is many scale houses close.

It all depends what you are hauling and how you are loaded. A 53 footer will normally haul 26 four foot pallets. Those loads will stretch within a couple feet of the back doors and you don't have much choice on where the axle goes. Then you might have a load with 18 heavy pallets. Instead of craming them all in the nose making your drives heavy you stretch them out in the trailer with singles. So instead of having two pallets side by side you put one in the middle.
When you stretch pallets you try to figure ending near the 44-48' mark. That gives you room to have your axles forward and still scale out perfect. Stretching pallets you always start with a single double single to compensate for the nose of the trailer and drive weight. So 18 pallets will only go back to the 36' mark and you want to stretch to 48' that is a 12' difference or 3 pallet singles. That case I would go single double single double double double double double double double single double and my load is stretched to 48'. Most experienced warehouseman know how to load a trailer properly. Some you tell them how you want it loaded. Some that have the same product have diagrams for their forklift drivers to go by. If confused draw it out on a piece of scrap paper.

You might even haul 12 pallets that weigh 14,000 lbs. Loads like that just load up front, move your axles forward and go.

You'll learn all that stuff in time.

....to center of rear axle. Don't forget that part because some states will say center of rear axle group.

 

Prime trailers are all the same, calibrated from king pin to center axle of the trailer by the hole you place your front locking pin in. Thus, CA must weigh legal (34,000 lbs.) on the drives and the trailer in the six hole. Most other states you are good back to the twelve hole. The reason we move the tandems is not only to get legal. MPG and driveability also come into play. Tail heavy loads will lower your fuel mileage, especially if you are doing a lot of climbing. If that's the only consideration, you want to maximize the "push" weight (drives and steers) and minimize the "pull" weight (trailer tandems.) That would demand you always push the trailer tandems back as far as legal. This is good for stability, and helps keep the trailer on the road in heavy winds (e.g. Wyoming) however, it also greatly increases the path your trailer tracks. That may be an issue in states like NJ or PA (even on the interstates) or when routed on US and state hwys. Zanesville, OH with that crazy blind turn under a center posted bridge also comes to mind!

Not even gonna get into shifting the 1/5 wheel here... leave that for another thread!