Stopping at scales when empty with a flatbed...

It also says “may require.” There are some portable weight stations that do require all commercial vehicles to stop, and the sign states as such. The other scale houses have signs that say over 26,000.
Pulled from 61-10-141. Officers authorized to weigh vehicles and require removal of excessive loads -- definition.
(3) The department of transportation may establish, maintain, and operate weigh stations, either intermittently or on a continuous schedule, and may require all trucks and commercial motor vehicles of 26,000 pounds GVW or greater to enter for the purpose of weighing and inspection for compliance with all laws pertaining to their operation and safety requirements. The department may require vehicles over 10,000 pounds to be inspected and weighed by portable scale crews when the portable scales are used on an engineered site.

 

Yeah, ok. "May require " is a very broad statement. What, you gonna wait till theres a DOT officer standing out front with a pickett sigh saying "I've decided to require you to stop at our scale!"

So what if you're loaded with 500lbs of cargo and your truck and trailer gross weight is 25,999 lbs. Do you think the Montana DOT would be able to give you a citation for evading the scales? Just curious.....and if you dont think they can, do you think it's a retarded thing to do?

 

I use that lil route sorta often

 

I’m saying bobtail, no trailer, which obviously isn’t close to 26,000. If the weight is 25,999 they won’t give you a ticket for dodging the scale. You’re playing with hypotheticals here.

 

Pardon me my good sir, for I missed the part in the regulatory information per Montana Department of Transportation that used the term "bobtail " as an exemptable category in reference of bypassing scalehouses.

Now that's interesting, as is the fact that you think rolling past a scale anywhere with a loaded commercial vehicle no matter what gross weight would be an awsome idea and not warrant some type of fine, warning or citation.

Since you're an expert, that not long ago thought you could overweight permit a divisible load, I just have to ask. How did you become such an expert on the Montana DOT?

 

It was an overwidth load, and logs can be 9’ wide. I went to the scale with the load, and it was approved to run.

I read the laws that apply to me as they are written. My empty bobtail w900 weighing in at 22,000 can bypass the scale houses that only require vehicles over 26,000. I’ve done it many times, and have been told by DOT officers that I can. They can of course chase me down if they feel like it, and some scales do require all commercial vehicles to come through. Those obviously I will stop at. I’ve shown you the laws directly from the Montana government websites. Not much more I can do to convince you, so maybe you should call up the Butte scale and ask for yourself.

 

I90 eastbound in Wisconsin east of Rochester, I've gone through there about three times, all empty, and even with Drivewyze giving me a bypass on every other scale in the state, they'd pull me in onto the full scale every time. Not sure why, they can clearly see it's an empty deck.

 

Oh yeah, now that you mention it, it was. Actually, after reading that thread you speak of, you just said they green lighted you. You didnt say they actually checked your load and measuredit, which kind tells me theres something prolly missing in that story.

Sounded more like you were strolling through the scalehouses hoping you didnt get "caught "...kinda sounds like a trend here with you actually. Those loads must pay excellent

 

I stopped at the scale house at Butte to get the permit. They didn’t measure me. Sage junction in Idaho green lit me.

 

So what’d ya do? Continue down the road without escorts?