Weigh station questions

Now that being said, you do want to check and become familiar with each states, that you are going through, hazmat protocols. It's usually just a quick Google search that takes you to their DOT page, and then keep notes about it. I have a little notebook just for hazmat, that sits near my seat.

 

Take weigh stations seriously. As others have noted, read the signs. Sometimes, like in Texas and a lot of states, there's a sign that says, "All trucks must enter the scales when flashing". If the strobe lights on that sign are flashing you have to go in the scales. Mississippi is backwards, "All trucks must enter the scales when NOT flashing". They get to write tickets for failure to obey a traffic sign.

Sometimes on 4 lane highways the scales are in the median, you have to exit on the left. I missed such a scale in Idaho, with a trainee at the wheel. I had him pull over to the exit ramp on the left and park. Then I called 911 and they patched me through to the scale house. We were good to go, "As soon as I saw you stop I realized you knew what you were doing. No need to show me your permit. Have a good day.". The permit was required to run south on US-95 from Lewiston, ID.

Not all states subscribe to Prepass, so you won't get a signal on your Prepass. Wyoming is special, almost always you have to park and come in to show your registration, insurance, and IFTA.

 

Thanks. It changed for the better then.

 

We moved to "BestPass" Prepass back in the summer. We get red lighted a lot more since then. Sucks.

 

There is a preweigh at the beginning of the entry ramp. A thin plate. You hit that at the posted speed. It will decide really quick which lane you get to take, bypass or platform scale.

Do not let those boxes do your thinking for you. If it had not responded fast enough before you hit the ramp, hit the ramp.

Keep in mind all scales are networked more or less. Your passage has been recorded and if you are abusing HOS at a scale far away you might be pulled in for a check.

 

It's would be a whole lot safer to go in on red, yellow light. If it is green, then it's ok to bypass. Let not to say that I have been to some weight stations where no matter the AVI prepass said you'll still have to go in (port of Entry) or (Border patrol)for example. If your AVI prepare doesn't go off then that just might be the device. So I would go in and later have the company check out my prepass in case it's no working or you could have it in the wrong spot of your windshield and it's not sending a signal or receiving signals. Always play it safe and cover up for yourself. My self I use a dash camera because of a weight stations opens after I've done pass it up and get pulled over a half miles down.. My only proof was my dash camera.. I hope this answer some or any of your questions.

 

To add to what @Lepton1 said...
Take all weigh stations seriously, and if in doubt always go in. I've not seen a DOT guy do anything about using a scale when you didn't have to. I have seen them run someone down for bypassing the scale.

 

When in doubt go in. Better to go in when you didn't need to than to not go in when you should have. They won't get after you for going in on a green but they sure might for not going in on a red.