scale placement

Some scales are open 24/7. Run legal and don't sweat it

 

In many areas officers patrol the routes used to go around scales and drivers will get nailed worse for trying to avoid them.

 

You're right, in MA they are rarely open. But Maine and CT it is much more common to see them open around here.

 

I think they are situated more to capture as much truck traffic as possible (A confluence of roadways) along "preferred" paths. If that happens to be in a location that makes it very costly (time and cost) to go around, well that's better from the standpoint of the CMV enforcement division. I'm sure in a few cases, making if "very hard" to go around was a component of the placement decision, but they are more interested in capturing volume than trying to make life difficult for a handful.

Whether they choose to operate the facility 5 hours a week or 120 hours a week all depends on that state's cash and [qualified] personnel resources and the amount of priority that state chooses to put into CMV enforcement.

 

If it is really easy to go around they will put a weight limit on the route so if you get caught going around you will be nailed for several things.
To those of you that always seem to come back with" run legal then you don't have to worry" well you are right. In a perfect world, we could ALLrun legal all the time. But I live in the real world. Sometimes a person has to bend rules. I don't as much as I used to but once in a while they still get bent

 

I live near i86 in ny, and sometime you see dot bears all over the place, and others not at all. Some states like ny, oh, and mi gave up in permanent scales and carry small axle scales in their suv's or vans, and sometimes even use sensors embedded in the road surface. Best advise for these places, keep your #### in order.

 

mass the only one i ever see open is georgetown up in the north shore and the only time i've seen it open was during the blitz most of time dot will ride around in unmarked black ford expedition or marked patrol cars as i found out last week. the kittery maine scales are simple to go around takes about 15-30 out of ur way though but they are known to have a weight wagon go up and down that strech when the coups are open. new hampshire actually one day opened up a surprise scale at the welcome center at the bottom of 95 (figures that day i was 15k over gross haha) that was easy to get around though 2 minute detour jump off at the last exit in mass and jump on at exit 1 in new hampshire

 

Sorry drifter, I'll have to disagree with you. The only reason someone hauls overweight without a permit to do so is based either in laziness or being cheap. If you're an O/O, that's your ticket, your call.. but for company drivers...you have no excuse. If scale tickets aren't reimbursed by the employer, find a new one. Your PSP no longer makes it an option. The driver is directly responsible for the yea or nay on a load...and unless there's no scale around but you're enroute, there's no excuse not to scale other than the reasons mentioned. Period.

 

You can't get a permit for most divisible loads. And I don't understand your "being cheap" comment, everytime I've hauled overweight it was to make MORE money. Some loads are almost impossible to axle out. Not all trucks bypassing the scales are doing things illegal, some of us just don't like being harassed.