Overweight at the State Scales Question

with CSA 2010 never eat a ticket.companies dont look at why you have the points,but the score.

 

It is the drivers responsibility to weight the truck. Once you get loaded, you find a scale and weigh! If you are too heavy you go back to the shipper.

Not making fun of you but this is the big difference in getting over the road experience before you drive local. Most local companies hire the experienced over the road drivers because they would know how to handle this situation themselves. A lot of companies aren't sure of the rules and sometimes rely upon the experience of their drivers.

Show up to a scale overweight and you are going to get a VERY expensive ticket and its a good possibility they will not allow you to leave.

Do you have a smartphone? There are many apps that show you where scales are. "DAT Trucker Services" (my favorite) There is also a "CAT Scale" app. Many other good ones too. If you don't have a smartphone get a truck stop guide book and they will show you where they are.

There is absolutely no excuse to be overweight or to not know your weight. A DOT officer will not take lightly when you tell them you didn't know where a scale was. They will probably drug test you on the spot if you give them that answer!

 

This is a bit of a hyperbole, about two or three times a month I get loaded in Portsmouth, VA really close to the scales on US 58, I also go right to the scale, if I am overweight they ask me where I am coming from, I say Portsmouth and they tell me which axle is over and to pull into the parking lot and slide them. If I am over gross they tell me go back.

I have had this happen hundreds of times now, I have never got a ticket, the DOT there understand that unless I get on the interstate and head the other direction for some time there is no way someone loaded there can know thier weight.

At least in that scale in VA, the DOT seem downright reasonable to me.

 

Yes there are some exceptions to this. Obviously if there isn't a scale then you don't have an option. As an experienced driver you also know more what you are dealing with and what you can get by with.

Another exception for example is if you are in Florida. In Florida you can get away with not scaling out by axle. As long as you are under gross you are ok. You must make sure your axles are good though before you cross the state line. Another thing to consider is bridge laws.

 

you shouldnt work for such companies, they dont see you as a person, just a number

 

chompi, not for nuttin

thats pure nonsense

many many many times, you can get loaded and there is a DOT scale before you will run across a CAT scale

not unless you are going to drive 50 miles in the opposite direction, your rule is not a rule, but some legaleze that doesnt apply to the real world

if you can CAT scale your load, you should, but dont make blanket statements that are patently not true