This Info is for Newbie Drivers AS WELL AS ALL OTHER Drivers!!
This Info is from Truck Scales, Weigh Stations & DOT Rules · CoopsAreOpen Weigh Station Info that matters.
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weighbastard
Member


Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 22

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:19 am Post subject: Don't tip the SCALE: [ flag post ]

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As a former Driver and now... Well, I've always known this but here goes!

If you miss the Scale DON'T STOP on the highway and walk into the Coop. The dirty deed is done, so are you - if they want you they will come and get you! And for God's Sakes, DO NOT back up on the hwy to get back to the ramp or use the "Authorized Vehicles Only" crossover. Non-emergency stopping on the hwy or reckless driving could be tacked onto the rest of your violations AND you might as well be shootin off fireworks too! Sadly, no one will pity you if you get out of your truck and fall in front of a 70mph minivan.

Prepass is why all those trucks pass the scale. An actual snap shot of your truck shows up on the computer screen in the coop. If your truck doesn't show up, you're fair game, EMPTY or not. If you get stopped, you better hope that light comes up green.


If you have prepass and it still brings you in, or you got the green light and you want to go to the rest area, or whatever reason. DO NOT EVEN BEGIN TO THINK you can run the STOP sign and RED light. Failure to Obey a sign is reckless driving (whether you agree or not). Additionally, there are most always people milling around the coops, if you hit someone that's pretty much it for your life. This especially applies to those who blast through at 45-60 mph - Yes, you WILL be chased down if at all possible and if identified, you very well may have a BOLO posted on your butt.

The presorter lights pertain to you. The system shows who bypassed against the light. You're fairgame again. In the least, plan on driving back around to the other scale the LONG WAY to be weighed. If you have no light, you probably are driving too slow to view the lights that WERE for you. Additionally, if you are well over the ramp speed you are following the lights for the truck you're about to plow into. If there are no lights, dealers choice. Either the system is broke or the operator made an oops etc. Don't stop at the lights waiting for them to do something! Head for the platform to be safe and keep your eyes open. Yes, they don't always work perfectly and the reason you are sorted to come across the platform in many cases is because your empty trailer bounces as it crosses the sensors. Additionally, Prepass users may have a faulty read on your unit and the system defaults to bring you onto the platform. I guess the mentality here is that the Coop would tell you about it. Problem is that just happens WAY TOO MUCH.

Additionally, the presorter lights 'flash' as it sorts trucks. When they are on steady, the operator has switched to the override position for some reason. Sometimes they are bored and want to weigh trucks on the static platform (pet peeve of mine [former driver] as some goof is wasting my time which equates to MY MONEY). However, If the lights say go around, GO AROUND STUPID, else you might run a hole where the platform fell into the ground or something even worse. I mean, why would you WANT TO GET WEIGHED?! If they say come in, COME IN. That’s probably because another truck ran into the ditch a couple seconds ago and you CAN'T GET AROUND THE BYPASS. And if the big board sign is flashing "CLOSED, DO NOT ENTER" it actually MEANS just THAT. It doesn't matter that you were JUST GOING TO THE REST AREA. Plan to spend some quality time in the overweight lot as you can't get onto the highway because the 2 trucks collided at the merge. PLUS, Failure to Obey my friends, Failure to obey...

In this regard, Over width drivers should have the coop numbers readily available in case you plan to park for the night and be ready to use them BEFORE you get there - that CB does work well sometimes.

Once you stop at any STOP sign you then do what? "GO" please. Pull onto the scale. That's why is says "STOP, before pulling onto scale." The light at the platform gets you off the scale, NOT on.

Cars ARE allowed to be weighed. Weigh tickets are issued for Military personnel for compensation for self moves. Most scales will also weigh your truck too. Empty weights are very handy.

In VA, should trucks back out onto the hwy for some reason, its feasible to keep going in the sake of preventing a traffic hazard. This is touchy, but most officers respect this situation.

In VA, where there are no parking signs at the rest areas and scales be aware this ticket can be translated to Stopping on the Highway, which would be a reckless, which carries points, and if your a VA CDL, remedial fees. Can you say "OUCH!"

And on this subject, if you're going to break this law, why OH WHY do you ALWAYS choose to stop your rig on an INSIDE CURVE?!?!? I can't tell you how MANY times this happens. For one fellow, it will never happen again as he was squashed when a rig misjudged their trailer follow (tight but not hitting) and, unbeknownst to the rig going by, the other driver got out as it went past... and roll, squish, roll squish, roll squish.

Tanker friendly - NOT. Unfortunately, no one seems to understand tankers after all, few have even driven a rig figure less have been in a tanker. Airbags seem to confuse the coop operator anyway and couple that with an open tank... Its just not pretty. If you come across the presort sensors with the load moving unfavorably it will bring you in. If your tanker is over #78k, you are running a risk. There are tricks - ask a seasoned driver. I pose the question, "Exactly how flat is flat?" Flat is NOT level either. Weigh tickets are presented to Military, think about it.

Airbags cause problems with 10ft splits on trailers too. There are variances in exactly how these axles are weighed out. In general, I’d make sure the bags are working right if you have any suspicions.


The Federal guidelines apply to Federal highways. Generally Percent permits are State Roads. Federal weight limits are #20k single axle (even steers but your truck may not be rated for it), #34k for tandem, #80k Gross. Multiple axles are listed on the 'net and vary based on spacing. For legal purposes, this is the law in most States. At #34,001 on a tandem you have broken this law. But ALSO realize that you are breaking the law when you drive, at anytime, even one MPH more than the posted speed limit. It is in fact a limit, just as the weights. The most unfortunate circumstance is that (again) the States can enforce the law as they see fit. VA is one of (if not the) toughest states as far as forgiveness on these limits. Lets just say that when Schneider told drivers not to exceed #34,500 on a tandem and don't go over Gross, that works pretty good for VA. AND FELLOWS, VA fuel is cheap but please don't forget its about 8 pounds a gallon and just 100 gallons MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

On a Tractor/Trailer remember to “move the trailer tandems to the weight.” If its over on the drives bring ‘em up. Over on the back shove ‘em back. You’re chasing the weight with the Trailer Tandems. To get the weight off the drives with the fifth wheel is has to go toward the steers. Don’t overload your truck Steers – ask what they weigh because the scale operator has probably never driven a truck and is looking at a #20k limit. In most cases you just can’t get the fifth wheel up enough to over load the steers but it can happen. When the kingpin is behind the center of the drive tandems and you move past the center toward your steers, you will have moved a bunch of weight simply because you have cantilevered past the ‘pivot point’ of the drives. Moving them more to the steers will actually move less and less weight. Additionally, if some joker has loaded you in the nose with lead, and you are over on your drives by a bunch it doesn’t matter how many holes or the hole spacing, you probably won’t get it. Fact is your chasing the weight with the trailer tandems, if its all 15 ft in front of the first hole, you’re probably in trouble. Always remember what you weighed the first time, remember how many holes you moved (or started from) and you can quickly calculate if you just might have enough to fix it. DO NOT always figure on the #250 per hole rule. That’s just a general rule to start from. In VA you have only one hour to complete the shifting process and get legal. Its All or nothing. If you get it right you get a green light, no harm no foul. If not, it goes back to the original weights. This is the case in many states. SO DO NOT come across a scale with a nose load and the tandems all the way back on a 53 footer or visa-versa. This is where the big money comes to play and it ain’t pretty.

CAR CARRIERS. Please, PLEASE REMEMBER that the Engine end is heavier AND MOST IMPORTANT is you're towing a BIG TEETER-TOTER. When you take a car off the back and you weighed #79k; YES, you are LIGHTER GROSS but you just OVERLOADED your drives!!! If one comes off the back, I highly suggest you move one back to fill the hole. Just remember what happened when you were on the teeter-totter and the other kid jumped off!

On a 53 foot trailer you can NOT take the tandems all the way to the back. Well, YOU can but then as a Driver who has control over that, YOU also get a personal ticket which may or MAY NOT be prepayable (meaning you'd have to show in court). In MD you're like a beacon in the night to the State boys. In VA you can get nailed too. If you pick up a trailer with it set up that way, it DOESN'T MATTER, YOU get the ticket! In VA the OVERWEIGHT goes to the COMPANY, not the driver. The driver signs as a representative of the company but even if you throw the ticket away, VA will not come back to the driver. I'm actually proud of that since so many (including myself) were/are told to "just drive the truck." MD is different as I'm sure in other states as well. VA also lets you drive the load after that unless you are so over as to be outside the tire ratings/truck ratings. VA figures you just made a donation to the road crew even though the roads may not look it. Currently in VA the COMPANY has 21 days to pay or contest the fine. Payments may be made by Mail, Internet, Phone or in person - that's the law and if you are told different, get that statement from the officer because (simply) you won't. If the company does not pay or contest in that time, irregardless of the court date, the company will be suspended. Should any truck belonging to the company come into any VA scale, it will effectively be held hostage until payment is made. The Driver can leave, but not the truck or trailer.

Generally VA scales are closed on major holidays, including the weekends. Different scales keep different hours and some rotate shifts.

One last point that I always thought good advice. When you stop on the platform, have that motor ready to pull you off the scale. Right gear, green light, get on it. The light is manual which means there are Oops's. Don't draw attention to yourself but DON'T give anyone a chance to change their mind - "Green light means 'GO' Officer, so I went." Sitting on the platform at a GREEN light and in front of an audience should be no one's idea of 'Quality Time' but maybe I'm wrong. Very few scales actually monitor the speakers continuously. Hollering at the speaker seldom does much good in that respect. However, if you sit there just long enough, someone will probably end up hollering at YOU. Come inside if you have an issue. Most of the scales have a setup on their farside where you can access a 2 way system before you walk all the way across to the main office.

If anything else comes to me I'll pop it out my arse. Do your friends a favor and read this to 'em. You'd might be surprised at their responses.
GOOD LUCK OUT THERE, I feel for ya!