Are Scale Houses getting tougher to deal with?

That's a good piece of advise right there.

Not only can you learn something, I think it is helpful to have a more personal and interested approach to the process. Yesterday early a.m. I was pulled over for a roadside HOS inspection near KC. He told me right off I didn't do anything wrong, just a routine inspection. I asked him questions how he works with the Qualcomm's, etc. and then we got to talking about best routing to Memphis, and the next thing you know I'm on my way with a clean bill of health. No antagonism, just a friendly and informative chat.

 

There are lots of reasons to get pulled to a scale. A few are
One is no green light on pre pass.
Loud exhaust with Jake brake on .
Entering the scale driving too fast.
Hitting the brake too hard on scale.
Junk on dash like bags of chips, cigarette cartons and the like.
Streaks on wheels. Those are considered loose wheel lugs until an in depth inspection.
Too low a hanging air line on trailer.
Squeaking brakes when stopping.
One of the more often reasons is the company is being scrutinized for one reason or another.

 

I get a receipt for fuel but be darned if I will give it to them. I will tell them I use ComData and don't need a recpt as it is on my settlement sheet the following week. Some cops will ask for your points card and will check your fuel purchase that way to compare your logs with if you give it to them. That too is not happening in my lifetime.

 

When you enter most scales they run your DOT number on their computer,,clean carriers generally don't get bothered. Carriers with violations they pull over thinking they will find some kind of violation to earn them a donut coupon.. I seldom had a problem always hauling overweight and oversize so most states I had to go in and show permits,, While in the scale in Larmar Colorado one night while presenting my permit a truck pulled in missing a set of duals on one axle of his trailer,,driver did not know he lost them,,always a good idea to stop before crossing a scale and do your own walk around, of course we know many drivers never do a pretrip in the mornings,,

Here's one a little off the subject,, on the same day with in 100 miles in Wyoming last winter 5 Swift trucks had single vehicle accidents in a 2 hour period. At the Evanston Wyoming Port they arrest an average of 2 drivers a week for being under the influence of alcohol..
Nasty looking truck and driver expect to get messed with,, and in Colorado and Utah better speak good English.

 

I have never had anything more than level 3. I told you about one in KC. I was in OH...scale open, this is right after that scale house guard was killed in AZ, Office standing in front of scale. Stops me. Asks if im carrying firearms, said no, Asked who passenger was, told him my wife, asked if company knows shes supposed to be there yes i say, Asks for logs, give it to him since on paper, he tried to find violation couldn't, hands back to me tells me good day and I scale

 

you do not have to produce a cat scale ticket nor fuel receipts..Drivers license, DOT Medical, log book, registration, UCR registration , Manifest ,carrier letter authorizing passengers, annual inspection, HAZMAT reg book,logbook if hauling HAZMAT and O/S permits. Anything else you are volunteering to present,,If you have a firearm better be your's and not stolen but tell you have one of asked ..
If a cop looks at your log book and asks you where you started this morning tell him it is written in your log book.

Years ago back about 1973 had a Wisconsin cop wanted to see my CB license because I was bad mouthing him on the radio,,didn't show him one,,he let me go and most likely kicked his wife or dog when he got home.

 

I would not suggest admitting to having a firearm in the truck in some states, such as New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, etc., If you do, you could find yourself in jail. I don't recall any DOT officer asking whether I have a firearm in the truck. I have had them ask at military bases.

 

I was at a base in AR getting ready to go load and all of a sudden things changed. All traffic came to a halt. It turned out that a truck driver was asked if he had a firearm in his vehicle. He stated NO. But as luck would have it, his number came up and his truck was searched. They found not one but two pistols in it. One was an antique the other wasn't. Due to his denying having any weapons in his truck when asked they shut the base down. no-one in, no-one out until an all clear was determined . His tarps were all unrolled, headache rack cleared out and the interior of his truck gone through thoroughly, Then escorted off base with a clear notice to NOT to come back. It took a while for things to get back to normal. For months after that trucks were searched then slowly it tapered off until no more searches..

 

Not half as sorry as waking up a co-driver. That gets filed under "ignorant."

 

I was not suggesting that you not tell those at a military base or any other facility where your truck could be searched. I was only talking about the DOT. They don't have a need to know. Some states, such as those I noted, will have you taken into custody and charged with a felony should they find you have a gun in your possession. The best thing is to stay away from those communist states that have the anti gun laws.