Dodge them scales supertrucker!

When I ran out of Harrisburg PA every day, we'd drop and hook to trailers that were just going to Jersey. The nearest scale was at the TA right before the PA rest area scale. You could waste the time scaling and possibly seeing the lights flashing, or just cruise down US22. Jersey was never open, but if they were, they'd give you one shot at sliding before you got a ticket. 95% of the time, we KNEW we were legal, we just didn't want the hassle of an inspection or Barney Fife looking for form and manner log violations. Kind of like running up 17 out of Fredericksburg and you get off at 522 instead of go to 81 and run through the Winchester scales, or jumping on US11 to dodge the Conklin or Preble scales in NY.

 

Uh, let me ask you have you ever in your life took a look at your permit book? If so have you ever looked at the cab card? Did you even look at it real close or just eyeball it? It's not a bunch of crap, pull your permit book out now since you sitting there doing nothing as it is, and tell me what the weight says on your cab card.....oops.....guess what the weight on the cab card says something like mine maybe or pretty close 16,500 lbs?

Have you weighed your bob tail lately? Guess what by the time you add yourself and your stuff and any extras your weight with full tanks will be around 19,500 if you in a Freightliner.

now I have had this arguement time and time again, I have tried to get people to change the weight to the true weight but guess what......that was a no go, and dispatch has that number if 16,500 lbs in their computer so by all means one should be able to haul the load. Only way to prove you can't is by getting a scale ticket,.....and you know what....yep one can haul it if they remove all the fuel, fluids, apu, and all their belongings.

and just because the shipper says oh it will only be 42-43k lbs, and told company it would only be that heavy, do you really think most shippers don't try to push as much as possible that they can get away with on a trailer?

so crap no but I continue to have the issue on some loads maybe you should check into this thread, prime example of how one can get caught with their pants down....

oh that is right the Amish are good god fearing men and would never make a huge mistake would they
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...ckers-advice/246970-stuck-at-scale-house.html

 

My company knows what every truck can legally haul. We have Columbias, classics, and new cascadias. They know what every driver can legally haul and dispatch accordingly. The Columbias can haul more cause they are lighter than the other models by like 1000 lbs or more. So the heavy loads get pushed on the Columbias. It's not hard.
In reality that should only happen one time. Then you notify dispatch "hey my truck weighs x amount and I can only haul x amount legally." After that it shouldn't happen again.

 

Yep you're right it should happen one time, but it does happen more than once, my dispatcher now it's not an issue, but other dispatchers I can get the scale ticket, and tell them til I'm blue in the face but they just don't get it as they see that the computer is always correct and the computer knows more than the monkey behind the wheel. Can't tell you how many dispatchers I asked what time they showing up at airport with computer so the computer can show us how this is going to get accomplished.

 

I looked at the permit like you said. It says 16000 unburdened weight. That means no fuel, no driver, no supplies, no Qualcomm, no pto or pump, no nothing.
I did see they are trying to pass a bill that would require that weight to be corrected to actual weights.

 

Great at now next time you top your tanks off go and just scale your bob tail. And see what the difference is. As that is the difference that most dispatchers, and companies don't take account for.

 

I pull new empty wagons and I NEVER cross a scale if there is away around it within a reasonable distance.

I might be crazy but I don't believe in putting my head in the lions mouth !!
You never know how bad the wife pissed him off this morning and I ain't going to volunteer be his whipping boy !!

 

I personally think that's a piss poor attitude to have. In 6 years of driving I've never once dodged a scale. Never been pulled in for inspection either. I keep everything legal and clean. Wipe off my lights every time I stop, keep the windows clean, wipe off the reflective tape, keep the dash clear, be respectful and follow the signals. They are just doing a job same as you. We as drivers need to stop seeing the dot as the enemy.

If he is having a bad morning maybe you pulling in and cracking a joke and making him laugh will turn his day around.