The problem with local scales is that they are built to weigh gross weight, not individual pup axles. I am more concerned with over axle situations then being over gross. Over the years, I've scaled thousands of pup sets, 48's ,and 53's with singles or tandems. By taking the manifests weights at face value, which is becoming more and more of a crap shoot, I believe I have a pretty good idea if a load is good, close, or over. If a load looks good or close, and a scale is not available, I will not say anything and just pull it. If the load is going to a meet site, then I call my meet man to make sure that he is ok with it. If I am going to a barn with a scale, I might scale it just to see what's what. But, if a load is in the over group and the lead trailer is more than 23 or 24,000, then I will make a call to Dispatch and lay out my concerns about an over axle / weight safety issue. Dispatchers are like dock or terminal supervisors, they don't want their names associated with a reported safety issue, have a trail which shows that they refused to fix the problem, to the drivers satisfaction, and then have the safety issue blow up on them. Usually, they'll cave and make other arrangements. Usually, not always, but at least you tried, you have the call time on your cell phone history, and you have the dispatchers name. Again, I would call my meet man to get his 2 cents worth. Refusing to pull a load is bordering on termination territory. You have to make the call and put someone on the gallows with you.