Minimum Weight to scale.

I had a load like that too. It was a load from Mexico and the BOL said 20,000kg, which is roughly 44,000 lbs. I picked up the load here in El Paso at the yard and noticed that it sure seemed light for being 44,000 lbs. But just to be sure. The load ended up being nowhere near 44k, more like 25k. I guess the 20,000kg declaration must have been for the benefit of customs.

Then another time, I was scheduled to pick up a load in San Bernardino, CA weighing nearly 46,650lbs. I knew that I'd be over gross as anything over 45,500 in our trucks (Volvo VNL780) is pushing it since our trucks empty full of fuel weigh about 34k lbs. But was told to load, scale and then return to cut the load. I scaled in at 78k, under gross but at 36k on the trailer tandems at the California setting, returned and the load was redistributed. 2nd scale I was good to go.

 

BOL said 30,000 but I just felt something wasn't right. I went back inside to inquire and found out my instinct was correct. TYPO!! I had a trailer full of bubble wrap and someone typed in 1 extra zero.

 

I seem to remember Michigan had to be farther back than what California would allow. Looking at my 2009 motor carrier atlas, I'm not seeing any mention of anything like that...but going back to my 2003 atlas it states that "53' trailers are limited to 2 axles and shall have a wheelbase of 40.5 feet plus or minus 0.5 feet as measured from the kingpin to the center of the tandem axle assembly if equipped with 2 axles." California is 40 feet to the center of the rear axle....not to the center of the axle group.

I suppose that illustrates why it is a good idea to update your map occasionally to keep up with all of the changes made by the various states. I usually do that every 3 years.