Truck Weigh Stations

[cpzilliacus]

In Washington, several of the weigh stations out in Apple Country are left on with the displays pointing to the outside window so drivers can find their weights as the nearest certified scale might be a hundred or more miles away.

Requirements to use the scale are up to the state. Some go by GVWR (i.e., max weight the vehicle is titled to handle), some go by classification (i.e,. NY, KY, etc classify trucks via title or other distinction), others by number of axles, others by whether you're engaging in commercial use.

If you have a DOT# on the side of the vehicle, always enter. whether you're using it for personal use or not. The scalemaster doesn't know that.

That is excellent advice.

As for OP, you should've gone in. It's based on your total combined weight of everything your power unit is moving. Legally, you're supposed to know the weight of your vehicle before you move it onto a highway and whether you have to comply with the weigh stations or not. Otherwise, truckers could argue that 'they weren't sure they were over a certain weight' and just run by the scale as well. Even you yourself admit your combined vehicle is above the 10k lb threshold.

And even if you enter, it is likely that (at many weigh/inspection stations) the weigh-in-motion system will put you in the bypass lane anyway.

It's not just to catch overweight on gross or axles. It's also required for spot checks of the heavy vehicles and what they're weighing in at on average. Even a bobtail tractor has to go into a scale and there's no way one of them is violating any of the weight restrictions for axle or gross.

The officers at the scalehouse are also interested (in some cases) in making sure that bobtail tractors have the correct registration plates and (if running in interstate traffic) that current IFTA stickers are displayed.

[D-Dey65]

Old thread, but I just found this link;

http://www.coopsareopen.com/

They're somewhat outdated on I-95 in South Carolina, since I could swear an opened one exists. I also have a pic that they might want to use for the southbound Georgia I-95 weigh station.