moble scales

[schmism]

I live at a location that is perfect for the local sheriff to setup the mobile scales. They do this bout 3-4 times a year from what i can tell.

This morning was one of those times.

Of note this morning was the line of "commercial" trucks with trailers he had pulled over.

These type

thats some full size truck with rear contractor box and or full size van pulling a double axle box trailer. both the truck and trailer have advertising on the side noting the commercial business they do. (one was HVAC, one was plumbing and one was a general contractor type)

I was curious to know what tickets they were getting. If it was for over weight or non-CDL or what.

The portable scales are setup to read front axle, rear axle and trailer axle weights. (yes three individual scale pads (6 in total)

 

[Ed of all trades]

Likely over weight, many PU owners think they can just pull what they want and not worry about how much weight the licence their truck for. :2cents: Ed

 

[oosik]

The neighbor has a large trailer he pulls with his F-550. Cows to market. From what he says they check just about everything, around here. Drivers license, insurance, weights, brakes, lighting, vehicle weight allowance, etc, etc.

 

[Pepsiboy]

I live at a location that is perfect for the local sheriff to setup the mobile scales. They do this bout 3-4 times a year from what i can tell.

This morning was one of those times.

Of note this morning was the line of "commercial" trucks with trailers he had pulled over.

These type

thats some full size truck with rear contractor box and or full size van pulling a double axle box trailer. both the truck and trailer have advertising on the side noting the commercial business they do. (one was HVAC, one was plumbing and one was a general contractor type)

I was curious to know what tickets they were getting. If it was for over weight or non-CDL or what.

The portable scales are setup to read front axle, rear axle and trailer axle weights. (yes three individual scale pads (6 in total)

As a retired truck driver, I would say that they were pulled over for "Inspection". Which means that ALL their paperwork (log book, permits, insurance cards, and driver's license) was being checked. ALSO, there could be a vehicle inspection (Checking lights, tires, safety equipment, coupling between trailer and tow vehicle.), and POSSIBLY cargo inspection to see that the actual cargo matched the paperwork, and that it has been PROPERLY secured in the trailer, or TO the trailer if a flatbed.

To do a full inspection on a 53 ft. semi can take as much as an hour IF EVERYTHING is thoroughly checked and documented. (BEEN THERE, DONE THAT )

Dave

 

[MMagis]

It would be state specific, as to what they check. Around here, they would never require a light duty/single axle pick up with a little trailer on the back to go over the scales. Commercial may be another matter, but I don’t know anything about IL regulations.

 

[bigtiller]

As a local propane delivery driver, the DOT pulled me over once. He could see that i was only 40% full, so the scales never came out. All he did was a safety check.

 

[RandyT]

Likely over weight, many PU owners think they can just pull what they want and not worry about how much weight the licence their truck for. :2cents: Ed

We have a lot of 16' tandem axle utility trailers rated for 7000# running around with 3000# plates and 5000# 2" ball hitches, that people are hauling way over that amount. Since they are licensed for 3000# they don't have to have trailer brakes.

 

[dodge man]

I'm from Illinois but I'm really just guessing here, but I doubt they are worried about him being over weight. More likely is he over the weight for what the plates on his truck say. They seem to be looking at that a lot and some one I work with got a ticket when he was towing a back hoe with his grain truck. They didn't seem to worried about anything other than the fact he wasn't going to his farm with it, so he got a ticket.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Back around 76' or 77' I was hauling coal. Three of us were running together, the first two trucks were over, I was not. DOT pulled me into a rest area where they had the portables set up. Pre bridge and 80k laws, we were running single axle tractors and tri-axle dumps. The tractors had a 15sp which was basically a ten speed with five deep reduction gears.

For whatever reason, my air switch was not putting the transmission in deep reduction. Regular low being geared to high, I spun out the scale like five times before I finally hit it fast enough to climb over it and stop before I dropped back off. They were sure I was over even though I kept telling them what was wrong and they ignored my weight slip.

To ad to what Dave said about level one's, yes sir and no sir are the order of the day. Usually though, if you go through a level one the officers are well versed in their work. I would rather deal with that then a so called DOT enforcement officer on the local level who does not exactly know the letter of the law especially when it comes to gray areas like pickups and goosenecks and BP trailers and tie downs. That is when it pays to know the laws and to respectfully disagree. Oh and you better know where to find the verbage to back yourself up. Then again, upset someone and they may dig deeper. Perhaps it's better to save it for the judge or magistrate.

 

[tcartwri]

Just don't drive during inspection blitzes. They always announce them a few weeks in advance.