Got an overweight ticket pulling for Amazon Relay

Yeah, I feel like this is the way to go, hopefully the judge will just give me a tongue lashing and send me on my way.

 

I was actually one of the people at my company that looked into hauling for Amazon as a filler during the winter when our trucks would be sitting making no money but we would still be making lease payments. This is just a way to keep me happy working during the Winter and bringing in some cash to keep the boss happy and offset those spendy lease payments.

Everything I could find through online forums like this, YouTube videos, and other websites said single axle tractors are fine for Amazon, and for the most part they have been. This is the first problem we have had and we will use it as a lesson learned, too much weight, just refuse the load. Hopefully we don't start getting more of these heavy loads as that would not be good for our performance score.

We are one of many companies using single axle tractors for Amazon loads as I see them pretty regularly in the Amazon facilities.

I also have been looking at JB Hunt 360 load board and they allow you to search by maximum weight for drop and hook I am just not sure if the weight they show includes the weight of the trailer or just the payload. I also don't know how their rates compare to Amazon, and most runs on their board are over night, which would be fine if the rate would support hotel rooms as we only have day cabs.

You are right that I probably could have avoided this by using the CB. I actually remember thinking that I should do just that as I was crossing into MD and saw a truck heading Northbound. But I really don't talk on the CB, just normally listen when the static noise isn't too bad.

The Volvo CB prep package I speced on this truck leaves alot to be desired, and my radio is over 20 years old so I have to turn the squelch way up to keep the static from driving me nuts. Alot of time I just leave it turned off especially when I am in the NY area as just too much nonsense going on.

 

This is exactly how I visualize things going in the court room and is why I hope my company just pays the fine and moves on.

But if they really want me to go to court then that's what I would do, I am payed by the hour anyway so I'll still be making money either way.

 

I was 25,840 lbs on the drive axle, 10,820 lbs on the steer axle, and 37,200 lbs on the trailer tandems. Could have slid my 5th wheel forward a little bit to get some weight off the drive axle.

The crazy thing is at 1st they told me I was overweight on the trailer axles. I was mostly concerned with being over on the drive axle so when they said trailer axles I thought oh that can't be too bad.

But once they had my papers I think they finally realized I was only a single screw and then things really went down hill.

I really feel like if I had the trailer tandems slid back and more weight on the tractor I might have slid by unnoticed. I don't intend to ever try though.

My company has 38' and 48' rail gate trailers and they are pretty heavy with those steel lift gates hanging off the back.