How come NO ONE talks about the importance of weight scales?

In trucking school they spent a very short time talking about how to axle out and only made it seem like doing so is for a better ride. At the job orientation they spent a few minutes talking about it as well and said that they reimburse you for cat scales. My trainer never went to a cat scale and always got his weight correct.... however I got a ticket tonight for being a couple of tandem holes too much to the front while I was searching for a cat scale...

It was an obvious trap since I picked up a load in St Louis and got on 55 south to look for a truck stop and bam a scale right there and I got a ticket. I hear everyone complain about minor things about trucking and the importance of other things, but no one mentions how it is imperative to get weighed. Plus every cat scale I go to is always available since no one ever weighs their truck. Getting axled properly before reaching a weight scale is my biggest fear and hatred.

I suppose from now on before I leave the dock I need to find the nearest cat scale and drive through city streets to reach it avoiding all interstates until I get weighed. The thing that really pissed me off is I was really looking for a cat scale. That was the only thing on my mind since I knew my load was heavy. My wife called and I told her that and then five minutes later a scale pops up and I get a ticket. I can understand if I was trying to bs or get away with it, but I was searching for a cat scale and still got screwed over.

 

Two weeks and the school, job, and trainer never mentioned it like it was no big deal. I didn't even know I could get a ticket for it that is how lacking my knowledge was. No one online talks about it either. They just make it seem like it is something to do to get a smoother ride and not that serious.

 

I was heading South, even the loser who gave me the ticket said there wasn't a TA, Petro, Pilot, or Flying J for at least 20 miles in either direction (which is what I was looking for very carefully). He said a QT had one but I didn't know that since some QT stations don't even have truck pumps sometimes.

 

Yeah but until I get experience I am punished for trying my best but making an honest mistake. If I had my own company I wouldn't care but I know my company makes a huge deal out of everything so that is why I am upset.

I am doing a ton of driving and I spend most of my time qualcomming information and on the phone with the broker to stop and search for a cat scale that is before a weigh station. There are so many around that I usually run into a truck stop before I see a weigh station but I cannot do that anymore.

 

I know how to correct my weight but I need to see the weight on each axle first. Most places I pickup from do not have their own scale. It is nice when they do though.