Regulations regarding scales

I don't think it broke the scale but I hauled a press to the local scrap yard and the scale display went to all zeros. We ended up weighing the truck and trailer separately and I was grossing 160K. Turns out the scale max was 150K.

I would think most state scales could weigh at least 150K and even then I don't think you'd fall through because you per axle weight still has to be right. Worst I think would happen is you damage the load cells.

I have never weighed a permitted load on a TN scale. Their standard practice is to pull around back and bring your permit in on all permitted loads. After that I guess they have the option of making you go back across the scales but they haven't ever asked me to.

 

OP,

back to your question......

depending on your route, you could have a nice un-interrupted drive to your drop.

if your a company ride,. going the scenic route may cost you a writeup from your boss.

i drove from Chicago, IL to spokane,wa crossed no scales. you can grab a map book. its all in the routing

 

Nothing that I know of states that you cannot choose your route, provided you stick to a truck route.

However, DOT isn't dumb either, and they may just pull you in for a full inspection on the "alternate" route also. I'm assuming the inspection level at this stop would be "thorough" to "You didn't know we can invent things that are wrong with your truck?"

 

Years ago it was standard practice to bypass the scales. Pretty much everybody was running heavy with questionable log books. Nowadays, it's rarely worth it and the cops have wised up to the practice.

 

You know another thing cops LOVE? This growing trend of drivers not running a CB. DOT had the portables set up the other day, and I was only able to warn 1 driver in 50 miles. I don't waste my breath. If I ask if you've got your radio on and I get no response, I won't tell you what's waiting on you up ahead. Want info? Respond so that I know I'm not just talking to myself.

 

Hey Bulldog, it is a different world than it used to be.

Once we had a community of truckers, like a family, we saw something happen, many would stop to help out or to ask if there is anything they could do like go down the road and call the cops or something.

Now it is total isolation in the cab, a place were we've allowed ourselves to be independent of human contact, between gaming, music, TV and many with toilets, ways to make food and so on and the demise of the truck stop restaurant (fast food is taking over), we are a fractured bunch of people, not a community any more and most seem not to give a crap about the other guy unless something effects them then they cry, piss and moan about it - ELDs are a good example.

So no wonder we are targets for stupid things like Elds and self-driving trucks.

 

Dad recounted the portables in the 50's where they told you NOT to step on the brake.

He said it was fun to see the springs popping out of the scales when you did tap the brakes...

He also said my uncles' drivers would fist fight over who got to drive the 3cyl Jimmy diesel that would pull the loads over jugtown with out attracting the scale man like the gas jobs did...

 

Do it all the time on I-40... mm 44 -45...