Weigh stations

[Bird]

I don't know about down 'south', but up here in Ontario even when the coop is closed you can still go in and park on the scale. The DoT always leave the scale turned on so you can see your weights on the readout. I do that on a regular basis with the big truck.

That may happen somewhere down here, but that's something I've never seen. Most of the time when I've wanted to weigh one, I just go to one of the truck stops that have scales and pay a few bucks for weight ticket.

 

[Looking4new]

Truck stops with scales are few and far between around these parts.
Example; traveling from Oshawa to anywhere north of North Bay, ON, the closest truck stop with a scale would be in Bowmanville, ON 15 miles east of Osh. So you gotta go 30 miles out of your way to get weighed? Not me. The other truck stop that has scales is at the far end of Toronto. (Dixie Rd & 401) Now you are going way out of your way and adding about 2-3 hours onto your trip. I just slide into the North Bay coop and run across the scale whether they are open or not (sometimes they are in there but the lights aren't on), it also shows them 'due diligence'. ie. You care.

 

[T_e_r_r_y]

Horse show people,race car haulers, car show participant, should be very, very, care full. When they are stopped at a weight station or by the D.O.T. scale masters. DO NOT tell them that you are or were a participant in a contest and got a ribbon,trophy or money. This might make you a commercial driver! Subject to all the rules and regulations of the state you are in. All they are looking for is the quick money maker.
Always a exhibitor, not a participant! !
T.J.

 

[Bird]

Truck stops with scales are few and far between around these parts.
Example; traveling from Oshawa to anywhere north of North Bay, ON, the closest truck stop with a scale would be in Bowmanville, ON 15 miles east of Osh. So you gotta go 30 miles out of your way to get weighed? Not me. The other truck stop that has scales is at the far end of Toronto. (Dixie Rd & 401) Now you are going way out of your way and adding about 2-3 hours onto your trip. I just slide into the North Bay coop and run across the scale whether they are open or not (sometimes they are in there but the lights aren't on), it also shows them 'due diligence'. ie. You care.

It's the exact opposite around here. Plenty of truck stops with scales, but a long ways to a state weigh station and then if it isn't open, you'd be out of luck.

 

[Diamondpilot]

It's the exact opposite around here. Plenty of truck stops with scales, but a long ways to a state weigh station and then if it isn't open, you'd be out of luck.

Same here. I have 6 scales within 5 miles at truck stops, grain elevator, and gravel pit. The nearest weight station is 50 miles.

Chris

 

[terryknight]

Maryland is specific to all vehicles over 10000 lbs.

have you been stopped? I have never stopped or been stopped, drive all over the shore and to Annapolis and DC making deliveries. also never stopped or been stopped pulling a trailer anywhere in the state.

 

[SLHawkins]

I pull regularly in and around VA, NC, and MD. You are not required to stop at the scales. However, DOT and the state police still reserve the authority to pull you over and check your actual weight against your registered weight (i.e. the weight on your registration card says 7,500 lbs but the weight of the truck, trailer, and tractor add up to 10,500 lbs). I used to pull through the scales along I-95 going into NC pulling my 5th wheel loaded with my tractor. All the scale master did was give me the green light and funny looks. I've gone across the scales in VA along I-95 grossing 29.4k with my F350 and 5th wheel and got both the green arrow to go around and the green light on the scale. I also have gotten pulled over by a state trooper when pulling just my tractor and bushhog on my 5th wheel trailer (he claimed he could not see my tag, which I have hanging under the deck on the gooseneck). Whenever pulling a bumper-pull trailer, I bypass the scales. With anything under a 350/3500 and a bumper pull trailer, I wouldn't be concerned with the scales. It is the wayward sherriff deputy, state trooper or DOT-man that can stop you anywhere along the road if he thinks you are unsafe of overloaded.

Hawk

 

[redprospector]

I can't figure out the DOT here. I pulled into a check point with portable scales with an F-250 and gooseneck once, and was cussed at and told to never do that again. You don't have to tell me twice. :laughing: About a year later I passed the same check point with the same truck and trailer, and they chased me down and made me go back to be weighed. :confused2:
From the small town I live in, to the big city is 16 miles down a 6% grade. The speed limit for "trucks" is 35 almost all the way to the bottom. I was told by a state trooper that I didn't have to drive 35 with my Dodge 3500 and gooseneck, so I settled in at 40 with the Pacbrake holding it just fine. The next load a DOT officer pulled me over and informed me otherwise. :confused2:
I went to Las Cruces Tuesday for a little 2 3/8" pipe. Pipe I looked at 2 weeks ago was almost all 31' long, I figured on my 25' trailer...no problem. What they had when I got there was mostly 36' long. We loaded it, and I started the 90 mile trip home with a few pieces hanging 13' past the end of my trailer. I flagged the crap out of it, and put my magnetic lights on the end. I had 0 weight at the hitch, couldn't get over 60 without a lot of sway so I settled in at 50. A DOT officer followed me for a mile or so in the middle of the trip, and then passed me. Never even looked at me as he passed. I just shook my head, shoot, I would have written me a ticket for that load. :laughing:
So in reality, what you can or can't do in a pickup and trailer is left to the discretion of the officer around here. Makes it kinda hard to figure out what to do sometimes.

 

[Looking4new]

I had pretty much the same trouble with US Customs back in 1999. One entry point would b!tch and chew because I only had one copy of the Inward Cargo Manifest and I would need to fill in two more. At another point they only wanted one copy and would b!tch when I gave them more. I ended all that when I started filling in three copies all the time and told them that seeing as there was no uniformity at the customs offices I would hence forth be filling out three copies and they could take what they wanted and give me back the rest. And they could rest assured the excess paperwork would NOT be found on the side of the road. (It has my signature on it.)

The trouble with some people is that you give them a little bit of authority and it goes straight to their peanut sized brains and then they think they can push their weight around.

Bullies is what they are.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I had pretty much the same trouble with US Customs back in 1999. One entry point would b!tch and chew because I only had one copy of the Inward Cargo Manifest and I would need to fill in two more. At another point they only wanted one copy and would b!tch when I gave them more. I ended all that when I started filling in three copies all the time and told them that seeing as there was no uniformity at the customs offices I would hence forth be filling out three copies and they could take what they wanted and give me back the rest. And they could rest assured the excess paperwork would NOT be found on the side of the road. (It has my signature on it.)
The trouble with some people is that you give them a little bit of authority and it goes straight to their peanut sized brains and then they think they can push their weight around.

Bullies is what they are.

Back in 1978, 79' and 80', I crossed over at Alexandria Bay on the average three times a week hauling cedar south. Once in awhile PT going north. On occasion, I would run short runs into New York and would cross over twice a day. Answering yes sir, no sir on either side always made for an easy passage.

Fast forward to 2006 and 2007 when I crossed over at the Peace Bridge maybe once a month for a pretty well known private carrier. Always empty returning stateside. Going north, always yes sir, no sir and no issues. Coming south I could expect to deal with some little ******.

Mostly, I would swap out trailers in Toronto and return to just east of Buffalo before I ran out of hours around midnight or so. I don't know if they were bored or what but they would usually x-ray my empty trailer. The Toronto driver I swapped out with ran a tight local route so I usually only had a single pup trailer as opposed to a van that is harder to see up to the bulkhead in the dark with a flashlight.

 

[Soundguy]

I would like to know who stops at weigh stations hauling their tractor . I have hauled my tractors on a 18ft trailer with pickups between VA and NC and have never stopped at one . Am I just lucky or what ? I know laws differ between states and was thinking on picking up a tractor in Ohio . My truck is a 4X4 Tundra 2010 , empty trailer is 3,000 lbs , tractor would be 4,000

i have used a 250, 350 and 450 to pull 16 and 28' trailers all along I-10 from florida to texas.

I've never hit a station.. have passed many full of bears an none ever flew out to get me.

did one time think it was my turn when i passed a station and one flew out and grabbed a bread truck looking thing next to me that had some mobile repair signs on it that bypassed scales.

 

[salopez]

have you been stopped? I have never stopped or been stopped, drive all over the shore and to Annapolis and DC making deliveries. also never stopped or been stopped pulling a trailer anywhere in the state.

I have been stopped in my 3/4 ton with 5 ton trailer. pulled behind the scales and all....searched stem to stern. luckily had everything I need.

read the sign it says all vehicles not commercial vehicles.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Drove Virginia to California using I81 and I40. Pickup with 20ft equipment trailer and B21 with implements. Tried to figure out scale rules before the trip but gave up. In the end didnt stop anywhere. Very few scales on that route and none with signs that covered my setup.

 

[terryknight]

I have been stopped in my 3/4 ton with 5 ton trailer. pulled behind the scales and all....searched stem to stern. luckily had everything I need.

read the sign it says all vehicles not commercial vehicles.

where were you? around baltimore? dc? western MD?

 

[Ken45101]

read the sign it says all vehicles not commercial vehicles.

Not all states put up signs that say what they mean.

 

[creekbend]

Several weigh stations that I encounter from NC to Tenn. are either closed or not operating everyday. Perhaps this is due to Budget issues. The Welcome Centers are always full.

 

[Looking4new]

Some of the coops up here have a sign under the one for the stations that says that cars are not to go in. I take my Jeep TJ (Wrangler) into them anyway whenever I have a question for them. I got told at one station that I wasn't to be in there with 'that'. I told him the sign said 'cars', my TJ is NOT a car. He answered my questions. I then pointed out that IF it was law that no cars were to go into the scales, that he himself was in violation. His cruiser was parked beside the scale shack. These guys are Ministry of Transportation, Canadas' equivalent to the DoT.

 

[salopez]

where were you? around baltimore? dc? western MD?

Howard county rt70 west at west friendship.

 

[Soundguy]

Howard county rt70 west at west friendship.

he musta just wanted ya..

down here you have to be swering off the road and dragging a dead body to get DOT to pull over a noncom vehicle.

I mean.. they WILL.. but you really have to flaunt it to get pulled.

 

[MattLynch]

All of the weigh stations in Nova Scotia now have sensors in the road leading up to them. All trucks must use the right lane, drive over the road sensor and depending on the weight a large sign will either show "Truck, report to scale" or "Truck, bypass scale". This works great, and it cuts back on traffic at the scale. I'm not even sure if I am required to enter the scale with farm plates, but I go in if the sign tells me too.