Gross vehicle weight as company driver

Thank you Otter...........great information for everyone....

 

Otter, what is the weight per pallet in such a configuration? I usually use similar patterns for pallets weighing 2,000 lbs each. I ask because I load trailers, and would like to save the drivers and myself some time. Thanks!

 

Remember, do NOT exceed 1000 pounds per foot of floor. These load patterns are for a given number of pallets, the more the pallets weigh, the fewer pallets there would be. 17 pallets at 2500 pounds each would be 42,500 pounds and should be loaded to 44 feet, 11 pallet spaces from the nose, double, single, double, single, double... all the way back to the 44 foot mark.

 

Doesn't Walmart DC's security check seals to bols? I don't break anyone's seals unless directed to do so by the receiver. And if you did break the seal to check the load, would you crawl all the way to the nose of the trailer to make sure that it's to your liking?

I picked up a Sam's Club DC load and it didn't feel overly heavy to me. Got to the scale in Platte City and sure enough, 1400 lbs over on the tandems. Slid it and went on my way $135 poorer. When I put it on the dock, had DOG FOOD on the tail of the load. My only overweight ticket came from not going to the CAT scale, first in almost 4 years.

Live load is easier, drop and hook, I'd make sure....scale 'em out.

 

My rule of thumb was to scale everything over 35k pounds

The one time I didn't, I was over on the tandems. In Kalifornia.

Strangely, the nice folk at the scale there let me slide the tandems to become legal. No ticket.

I still hate driving in Kalifornia, but it's not 100% bad. Just 99%.

for my D&H, always wrote "loaded and sealed by shipper" on the BOL. may not save me, but worth a try.

So far, never had to take a load back to shipper to get it rearranged or reloaded. Have had to make runs with light fuel tanks (stopping for fuel every 300 miles, and then only loading 50 gal is a PITA)

 

If you break the seal you have them reseal it. And it doesn't take someone to crawl through a trailer to see if it's loaded right. Maybe if you did, you won't be out the money. NEVER trust someone that loads YOUR trailer for the proper weight.

 

Don't mean to pick at you, but having "them" reseal the trailer isn't always an option, especially if the seal number is computer printed on the bill, or I am hooking a trailer after shipping office hours.

If I am hauling mixed freight, sometimes what is at the tail is taller than at the nose. The company that I am leased to is very specific about drivers breaking seal. Don't unless there's an emergency or directed to by a receiver. Basically, the only exception is a seal broken by the DOT, who must record the break on my BOL. With food, that's an easy way to have a load refused. Hazmat also.

I understand what you are trying to say. The point that I was making was that when I didn't scale out, I paid the price. I am not willing to breech the integrity of a shipper sealed load for the reasons you gave.
To each their own. I payed my own fine, thank you.

 

I guess you're right when you pick-up a trailer already loaded. But I pulled triples and I made a point of being there before they sealed the trailer. I would think that taking a trailer blind could be a safety hazard and maybe it could be a point to address your company. I was lucky and never pulled anything that I didn't know was loaded right. But I'm sure that there's plenty of companies that don't care about the drivers and there's plenty of drivers that will replace the safety conscious driver.

 

Quite the insult, driver. God bless you.

 

Try this on for size -----

I picked up a pre-loaded trailer full of rolled paper that was loaded in a
53' trailer, but was supposed to be loaded in a 48' trailer. That made me
over
my GVW with the fuel I had.

I knew there were no DOT scales nearby, and that I could burn off enough
fuel before the next scale, so I took the load.

After crossing the next DOT scale okay, and knowing where the next DOT scale was,
I weighed at a truck stop and determined how much
fuel I could take and still be legal.

BUT,..................
prior to climbing a mountain, with a DOT scale at the bottom of the other side,
I decided I better put as much fuel in as possible so as to avoid the fuel
flowing to the rear of the tanks and the fuel pick-up not able to digest
the fuel.

So, I weighed again, and determined that I could safely add about 30 gallons,
which I did --- and re-weighed, just to be sure.
However, the second scaling indicated that I was 600 pounds lighter
AFTER fueling.

NOW, ....... what to do?
Which weight was correct?