Tolerance for being over weight?

Pulled a dedicated load 2 weeks ago that was 2160 pounds over on the drive axle and was 79,700 gross weight. Usually having the bogies at 41FT kept it legal but boy was I wrong.

Got pulled into 2 scales (NC and WV) and was given the green light. Got back into Canada and checked at a weigh station for free and saw that I was more than 1500 pounds over by the time I burned fuel. So my idea was I was over 2200 pounds over on my drives at the start of my trip.

Got very lucky, I always scale that load now. Makes me wonder why I didn't get ####ed that day.

 

Absolutely. If ever there was an a hole DOT cop this guy was him. I used to have a copy of the ticket framed but lost it in a move years ago.

Was more than 8K over on an axle in GA once, turns out a spring on the rear axle broke so the other axle had to carry the load. Scalemaster looked at it and just said go to the next exit and get it fixed. It's called officer's discretion. Some are reasonable, others are not.

 

You weren't over in NC, limit is 38K on tandems

 

U guys seriously scared about a couple hundred pounds over ? Run it. Every scale u scale at is going to give u a different weight each time. I would not get worried anything under 1k. Unless they are making u come to a complete stop onthe scale , if ur drives are rolling over just give a slight tap on the throttle and it will transfer some weight off to make it look better while rolling.

 

Or slide the wheel up and stop limiting yourself to 12 on the steers.

 

Was a company driver at that time, pneumatic trailers. I remember the load was track sand going to a RR in Richmond. Company just paid the fine, they were rather accustomed to overweight fines, we had drivers that would willingly load to 85-90K thinking it made them special because they would do that. No more pay for it, just bragging rights.

 

Only thing I can state with complete confidence is that OH will get you for having 41k on your drives. Had a load shift back in 2001 when I got cut off not far from the scale. Single set scale. Lady scale master tells me to pull around, pull back on the scale with my drives.
I go in, she laughs and says “You win the prize today!” I looked at the display, told her what happened. Had to have a service come fix it at the scale. Gross was about 77k if I recall.

Cost me around 200 bucks back then for being 7k over on a pair.

 

Utah fine was $50 for being 1500 over on tandem.

Oregon fine was $300 for being 2000 over on bridge.

 

No tolerance. Get on a diet and start exercising driver.