The Debate That Never Ends...

[Dougster]

I've hesitated to bring it up again because in the past there have always been strong divergent opinions and apparent variations in practices state to state... but never any clear answers. However, based on my knack for getting in trouble with The Man and my total inability to get clear answers online or from the RMV or from the state cops, I feel I must ask it again.

The subject is commercially-registered pickup trucks (with or without trailers) and weigh stations. I will be headed out of state soon in two different directions and I do not wish to receive any more citations. My 3/4 ton pickup truck is commercially-registered in the State of Massachusetts to permit residential snowplowing and hauling of my tractor and dump trailer to jobsites. Bother trailers are manufacturer-rated (stickered) and state registered at 10,000 lbs.

If it makes any difference, my pickup truck is not currently lettered or indicated as commercial in any way other than the commercial plates. In the winter I use magnetic signs for spot advertising, but I saw no need to irritate the neighbors throughout the other 3 seasons with magnetic signs for the tractor and backhoe service. This whole issue of markings (those required vs. prohibited... and permanent vs. removable) is a topic for another day.

So the question is: Do I stop at open weigh stations or not? Does it make any difference whether the load I am carrying is in the truck bed or on one of my trailers? I'll be traveling through numerous states, so I need either a general sense of what to do... or where to find specific state requirements for states generally in the Northeast corridor.

Please do not tell me to call or email the Mass RMV or the Mass state police again. They are both impolite and almost totally worthless in this regard. As always, thanks in advance for any and all help.

Dougster

 

[LoneCowboy]

I don't.
even when I'm all stickered up and pulling a trailer.
I'm not a commercial driver, I'm not over 26k (here in Colo that's the limit) and nobody has ever said boo.
to be honest i've NEVER seen a landscaping vehicle in one.

I wouldn't.

 

[MrJimi]

Doug, in Florida, our signs read
all trucks must stop at weigh stations
like you said, it varies in different states
I don't , I'm not commercial anything, I do drive a large stepvan ( 27 feet long and 6,500 pounds )that I converted to a camper and a Chevy S-10 pick-up

 

[gordon21]

I have found weigh station attendants to fall into these two catagories when seeing a pickup with or without a trailer attached.

#1 Why are you sitting here next to my booth??? And then you get waived on.

#2 They don't respond at all and don't turn the light green either allowing you to move. You may sit there until a large truck pulls up behind you and then you get signaled on.

DOT only seems to notice small trucks when they are loaded like Jed Clampetts truck and dropping stuff into the road. Pickups don't have the GVWR painted on the side and it is hard for anyone to determine if you are overweight without checking the data plate on the door jamb. That requires the attendant to get out of his air conditioned booth and do research. A simple F-150 can have ratings from 5000-12,000. If a truck pulls up and the scale reads 8624#, he could be overweight or way under his legal limit.

 

[mbrule]

I too am from Massachusetts, and register my 3/4 pickup commercially, I do residential snowplowing, mostly for family (read no pay) and often move old cars with a car trailer. Never any lettering or advertising. I have never stopped at a weigh station in any state. I have towed cars in all of New England, New York and PA. Doesn't make it right, just my experience.

Matt

 

[Dougster]

I don't. even when I'm all stickered up and pulling a trailer. I'm not a commercial driver, I'm not over 26k (here in Colo that's the limit) and nobody has ever said boo. to be honest i've NEVER seen a landscaping vehicle in one. I wouldn't.

I hear you Brian. Wouldn't seem to make a lot of sense to stop. But those big signs still say "All trucks must stop" or "Commercial vehicles enter here" or similar... so would you risk driving on if you were on a mission out of state where you didn't know the cops or practices?

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

Doug, in Florida, our signs read all trucks must stop at weigh stations like you said, it varies in different states I don't , I'm not commercial anything, I do drive a large stepvan ( 27 feet long and 6,500 pounds ) that I converted to a camper and a Chevy S-10 pick-up

The fact that you are not registered as commercial probably makes a big difference. I certainly would feel much better driving on by with non-commercial plates showing.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

I have found weigh station attendants to fall into these two catagories when seeing a pickup with or without a trailer attached.

#1 Why are you sitting here next to my booth??? And then you get waived on.

#2 They don't respond at all and don't turn the light green either allowing you to move. You may sit there until a large truck pulls up behind you and then you get signaled on.

DOT only seems to notice small trucks when they are loaded like Jed Clampetts truck and dropping stuff into the road. Pickups don't have the GVWR painted on the side and it is hard for anyone to determine if you are overweight without checking the data plate on the door jamb. That requires the attendant to get out of his air conditioned booth and do research. A simple F-150 can have ratings from 5000-12,000. If a truck pulls up and the scale reads 8624#, he could be overweight or way under his legal limit.

Well, here you have done a very good job of describing the comical reality of what would probably happen to me at every single stop... but that doesn't mean those folks who stopped weren't obeying the law by stopping. This is where I'd LOVE to be able to differentiate between what the law requires vs. what we can get away with 99+ percent of the time... because with my bad luck, I'd be the one guy in 10,000 that a cop would nail to make his monthly quota.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

I too am from Massachusetts, and register my 3/4 pickup commercially, I do residential snowplowing, mostly for family (read no pay) and often move old cars with a car trailer. Never any lettering or advertising. I have never stopped at a weigh station in any state. I have towed cars in all of New England, New York and PA. Doesn't make it right, just my experience.
Matt

Well, I appreciate the input... kinda reassuring... but your last sentence sort of sums up the whole problem. Nobody seems to really know the law for sure... not even the RMV or state police.

As we speak, I have a pending court appearance to fight a costly citation for what amounted to getting a flat tire on one of my trailers. With my bad luck, it happened right before a radar trap and the cop felt I exited the highway a little too close to him. I won't win that fight in court if I have other pending citations (especially ones related to the truck and trailers)... so I am trying to be totally careful. No room for legal error until this previous matter is resolved.

Dougster

 

[LarryRB]

Dougter
You've been to my humble home.,. You know right down the road on I 84 in Union, is a partially opened scale. This means, for those who don't know,, for Connecticut to accept home security grants from the US gov,, CT must open track scales 30 hours minimum per week. Problem is,, what 30 hour period? When I tow my L48 tralered, I always go over the scale here,, IF you try to drive by or drive around,,, you're screwed big time. The whole key in Union at least, is to drive over the scale at 7 mph or slower,, Once you break 7 mpg, you're directed around to the real scale and scale house,.... A couple of times the officers looked at my chaining down the tractor, and waved me on.,. They're after the big dollar problems and haven't teh time for us small guys,, They do have plenty of time if you by pass, go around, or hit the spot scale at 8mph or more.