Highway weigh stations

[Reg]

It's been a long time ago, but I believe it was Wyoming where I saw signs that said "all vehicles towing trailers" which surprised me so I pulled in with my travel trailer, and of course, was told that it didn't mean RVs.

I know one in PA that reads just about exactly that.
We "discuss" it every time I go through it with a horse trailer.

 

[powerstroke444e]

In IL they like stoping pickups with the portable scales but the regular scale houses I blow right by and have only been chased down once, and I was tagged for 8k on the truck and 8k on the trailer which put me under 16,001lbs the requirment to stop @ the scales. And the officer asked that next time to stop if I am loaded.

If I was a private not for hire truck that was just hauling a reasonable load as you discribed I would drive right by and if they ever stop you tell them you didn't know and promise to stop the next time, but I doubt that you will have any problems.

Keep it safe and within the vechiles limits & above all be polite.

 

[AndyMA]

RV's are exempt in most places. Trucks and trailers are not. Pleading ignorant will just upset the cops/Dot inspectors and get you a bigger fine. In conn they take out a note book computer and can easily generate you a multipage page neatly printed $2000 fien fi they so desire. You need to stop and give them the chance to wave you through. You may be surprised on how many of those binder chains, etc are not up to snuff and each one results in a separate fine. also things like the backhoe bucket can no longer hang over. I have been through it in both conn and Mass and was certainly not exempt.

Andy

 

[AndyMA]

I also should note in Conn they have several roving truck inspection teams with SUV's that have portable scales, jacks and inspectors with creepers who do a heck of a job in writing big tickets. From what I see they seem to find a lot of "frame cracks"

Andy

 

[BJN644]

I also should note in Conn they have several roving truck inspection teams with SUV's that have portable scales, jacks and inspectors with creepers who do a heck of a job in writing big tickets. From what I see they seem to find a lot of "frame cracks"

Andy

Maine has them too, unmarked GM SUV's with all the gear in back, including scales.

 

[em14]

For what it's worth I stop at all Weigh Stations and Ag Stations ... as the signs say .. the only time I'm really worried is when I'm towing with the Chevy 3500 Duramax and the GN trailer loaded with a 12000 lb tractor. I'm very close to the limit for everything with this rig!
Leo

 

[DIRTROAD]

As long as you do not have a commercial drivers license, I would not stop!!!

Like the old saying goes, "It's better to ask for forgivness than to ask for permission"

Let it be up to the officer to chase you down if he thinks you are in violation of a law. All you need to do is play dumb!!

From an LEO standpoint, In the event that a driver bypasses the scales, he is opening up hisself to being stopped and checked out really really good. It gives the officer just cause to make a stop and investigate. This being said, most LEO's have more important things to do or bigger fish to fry than to waste time on this type of infraction. Just beware of the new rookie that might end up "CUTTING HIS TEETH" with you!!!

If you have a commercial drivers license, you probably won't be able to play dumb.

 

[Jimbrown]

If youstopped here in Az they would probably ask if you had been drinking and sick the drug dogs on you. Now the border patrol stops are something else. You better stop.

 

[BJN644]

Here's a link with some good info, this is Maine and other states may be different.

Number 3 answers the question of the OP.

Farm Vehicles, Motor Carrier Services, Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles

 

[shakin]

good stuff bjn i forgot to mention that i carry flares and hazard triangles and a fire extinguisher. some of our vehicles almost meet the criteria empty. and a snowmobile trailer or a trip the the grocery store and you may be over the minimum weight.

 

[QRTRHRS]

You may get some info hereLet's get one thing straight here. Laws vary state to state but there are a couple of constants. Commercial or not, your plates need to cover the weight of your vehicle. Federally funded highways are one thing but once you hit the state and locally funded roads, that particular state's laws may/may not be different from yours and can be inforced.

 

[Willl]

your plates need to cover the weight of your vehicle.

Huh ?, what plates ?, license plates ?, I might be mistaken but washington plates don't change because of weight 'classes'.
Is this a Kentucky state thing ?

 

[Duffster]

Huh ?, what plates ?, license plates ?, I might be mistaken but washington plates don't change because of weight 'classes'.
Is this a Kentucky state thing ?

It is not just a Kentucky thing

There are several different plate weights for trucks and trailers here

 

[QRTRHRS]

Huh ?, what plates ?, license plates ?, I might be mistaken but washington plates don't change because of weight 'classes'.
Is this a Kentucky state thing ?

1/2 ton, 3/4, one ton, trailer, etc. What kind of fees do you pay?

For example, you may pay $200 bucks a year to register a dually at ~10,500 and $25 bucks for a trailer at 10,000. Commercial or not, you cannot legally exceed those grosses.

 

[Willl]

here

Where is "here" ?

 

[Duffster]

Where is "here" ?

God's country

Wisconsin

 

[Willl]

1/2 ton, 3/4, one ton, trailer, etc. What kind of fees do you pay ?

Oh no doubt my licensing fee changes with the weight classes, but as far as I know the 'plate' stays the same.

 

[Highbeam]

Oh no doubt my licensing fee changes with the weight classes, but as far as I know the 'plate' stays the same.

You're right Will. We can buy tonnage that appears only on our registration for about 20$ per year per ton. The actual license plate on the pickup looks exactly the same.

Keep an eye on this as some well meaning clerks will sell you a cheaper registration that doesn't allow you to load your truck to its GVWR. Always buy enough registered GVWR to allow you to exceed your GVWR by a good 1000 lbs to allow for slight overloading. They will sell you as much tonnage as you want.

The copper that pulls you over can write you a ticket for insufficient registered weight and/or a ticket for overloaded(unsafe) vehicle. It is much easier for that copper to prove that your weight exceeds the registered weight.

 

[JIGBUILDER]

I've had about 11 years behind the wheel of several different 3500 DRW trucks hauling with combined plates commercially in a eight state area around Oklahoma.

In Oklahoma trucks 3500 trucks and smaller may choose to buy more GVWR up to 15k max for combined commercial purposes only. Non commercial trucks is whatever the trucks GVWR is on the door post/truck title.

GVWR isn't what the truck carries as thats the function of axle/tire capacities. The higher GVWR just allows a commercial hauler to buy higher combined plates but weight on the truck is still limited to its axle ratings/tire capacities.

I usually bought 28k to 32k combined plates depending on the trailer and the loads carried.

Oklahoma's weigh stations are 40 years old and are run by Oklahome Tax Commission employees 5 days a week/8 hrs a day. Their a joke. ODOT is not involved in their dailey functions but are available for consultation.

Quite frankly you can blow a scale house here in a LTL as the Tax Commission employees are looking for 20k axle size infractions. DOT or a state trooper may chase you down and for a paper check. If you look overloaded he may direct you back to the scale or use his portables. In the 11 years I ran through the scale house in OK with a one ton and smaller truck I was waved across the scales without weighing to the paper work checkers.

TX/CO/NM/MO scale houses would most of the time weigh my truck/trailer combined along with the usual paper checks.

 

[ultrarunner]

All this talk about weigh stations has me thinking...

Only 1 of the 4 trailers I own and use has a weight label... 2 of the others were built in the 1950's and one in 1964...

Maybe this is not correct... I was told a long time ago with older equipment the Highway Patrol checks the weight against the weight rating of the tires?

Sometimes I use my Flat-Bed Stake 1930 Model A Dually to move real heavy loads... like a safe or lumber... no weight rating on it either. Trucks 1936 and older have car plates in my State

Maybe the solution is to only operate older equipment... just a thought?