Big Problem With Load Right Now

I picked up a load of paper today in New Orleans and left the shipper. Looked for the first scale on my route and it was 82 miles away in McComb, MS. The load was supposed to be 42,000 lbs. so I put my tandems in hole number 10, which is usually good for these loads. Next I checked if I would pass any open scales and I would not. Followed all the protocols...Right?

So I got to McComb, MS (which happened to be USA Fuel Solution stop) and weighed the load. To my horror the load scaled at 86, 020 lbs..
I had 40,000+ on tandems and 32,000+ on drives. So I called dispatch (night after hours) and here is how the conversation went;

*****************************************
Dispatcher: Truck Number (did not say hi or nothing, did not tell me his name or nothing)
Me: ####
Dispatcher: How can I help you?
Me: I am over gross and I am 82 miles from shipper.
Dispatcher: Take the load back to shipper.
Me: They are closed after 5pm and are not open on Saturday or Sunday.
Dispatcher: Looks like you are going to sit at a truck stop all weekend.
***************************************************

I called again and they routed me back to New Orleans drop yard. I will be taking it there in the morning. There well be problems, I have to see if I can find way around Louisiana scale and risk losing CSA Points and in my opinion if I get a ticket USA should pay it. I followed all the rules of the game and may still get screwed.

In my opinion, The first dispatcher was rude and should not talk to anyone in this manner. If USA want to actually have driver retention program, hiring dispatchers that talk to drivers in a professional polite manner. When I call dispatch, I am professional, polite and respectful. It is not that hard to try and help your drivers out of a bad situation.

 

Route was on I55 north, did not go thru Slidell and the scale in Big Easy was not on route either. I checked the CAT site and my GPS. It said nearest CAT scale on route was the one I used.

I knew you would say I screwed up, you always do..

 

Yeah, I thought I was using the first scale in my route. I could have gone out of route 20 miles and got a closer scale, but the load was supposed to be 42,000, so I didn't expect to to be over gross...

 

They are cheap... That is why they hire new drivers to hold the stearing wheel for .28 cpm. When they get a raise above .36 cpm, they find a reason to can them...