Question about scales
Posted by Defiant-Medicine3014@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 20 comments
I’m hoping someone can explain this to me, no one ever really went into detail about it for me and I’ve always wondered about it. When you’re coming up on an open scale, and you get the bypass message, or are told to pull into the scale but get sent around it, what exactly triggers that? I assume they can see from your tablet your weight and whatnot? That’s what somebody told me. It’s a little strange to me tho how I’ll be super heavy, like 45000 lbs and get the bypass. They’ll bypass me at damn near max gross weight but someone who is probably a lot lighter than me, will have to go through. I’ve had loads where I was heavy and could bypass every scale, then other loads where I was super light but had to go through every single one
1Stack_Mack@reddit
If you're a ragtag outfit running containers out of a port, you're getting pulled in. Company driver of a reputable company, bypass.... Happens all day long
Defiant-Medicine3014@reddit (OP)
I don’t drive for a reputable company tho. I drive for western express. So that’s another reason I’m kinda confused
homucifer666@reddit
Western Express is still on a different tier from these outfits with the DOT numbers duct taped on.
I don't know what WE's safety score looks like, but if you're not being constantly pulled in, it's probably not that bad overall.
Defiant-Medicine3014@reddit (OP)
It’s actually really not THAT bad like ppl say it is. I went to work for them to get my experience and then move on and it’s been ok. A lot of their trailers are kinda janky tho. I just know they have a bit of a bad reputation
Exnoss69@reddit
Bro any carrier with a name is great compared to some russian run operatiom where theyll ask you. Why have u been stopped for so long? And when u say i ran out of hours they say check again and ur clocks will be reset. Now go and make some money.
LeadGlad4961@reddit
Before you get to a scale there are sensors on the freeway. If you pay attention it’ll be a sign like “trucks use right lane for x amount of miles”
There are sensors on the freeway you probably can’t see if you don’t pay attention. Those are what triggers to give you a bypass or must exit.
There are also cameras that read the dot number real quick and as others mention if that company have a bad reputation they’ll get pulled in.
Some trucks have the in cab thing I forgot what it’s Called. But it transmits all the info to them really quick. And that also gives you a bypass.
In some cases when there is alot of traffic they’ll pull every truck in to let the traffic flow better.
bulldog522002@reddit
EZ Pass?
Conscious-Emu-2912@reddit
That for the turnpike for some states but it's called prepass
Ok_Bug_6470@reddit
Depends on the settings they have it on. A lot of scales also have ir cameras and cal tell low tire pressure/leaks and hot brakes. I think they’re hooked into the flock safety camera nationwide database as well. I think they’re hooked into know who exactly is bypassing the scales. They can do facial recognition for everyone at a concert or a football stadium I think they’re hooked into can follow and recognize your truck. Also those orange power unit looking things w an adjustable arm on the side of the interstate)Calhoun Ga area is one) ate cameras specifically for truck drivers to see if phone use or seatbelt use is happening.
Auquaholic@reddit
It's more about your company's safety score. If it's bad, they'll be pulling you in. Some places literally pull in every other or every third. Some places pull every damn body in.
homucifer666@reddit
Oklahoma...
Auquaholic@reddit
Wyoming.
pingus3233@reddit
That Cheyenne westbound port-of-entry tho. "IFTA and registration please. What are you hauling?"
Every time 😡
ooglieguy0211@reddit
Evanston is the same even when I went through 5 or 6 times a day in an empty wrecker... Registration and IFTA please. What are you hauling? Nothing yet, you won't check me on the way back out, and Echo is either closed or won't pull me in anyway...
BriskManeuver@reddit
I been getting the bypass a lot ever since ive worked hopped back on with crete. They must have a good score because I get a lot of bypass
keytiri@reddit
Depends on the state too, Virginia almost always pulls my company in, but they do seem to pull just about everyone in; they seem to open and close the scale if the ramps back up. Other states with better weigh station placement, I usually get bypassed.
VA actually ticketed me once, and the officer said something along the lines of “y’all are always getting pulled in,” which I interpreted as score related; they said I was a hole too far back or I’d be a tad overweight, which do you think they wrote the ticket for? 🤦♀️, overweight would’ve been cheaper.
tc6x6@reddit
Some states, like Colorado, will pull you around and make you come inside to verify your cab card the first time you enter their state in a calendar year. NM does it while you're on the scale, but if your company's renewal is still processing, they'll make you buy a trip permit.
brandmonkey@reddit
There are scales on the road. They weigh you in motion.
MajorHymen@reddit
It’s not so much you in particular but the company name on the side of the truck. Good CSA score and you’ll be bypassed unless the weigh in motion detects something egregious. Bad CSA score you’re getting pulled in empty.
onlyBotsdownvote-me@reddit
Sometimes, it's absolutely random or the officer's discretion. I used to drive a straight truck, and an officer told me they get the same credit for straight trucks, as they do for a full tractor-trailer. So, naturally they pull in a lot of straight trucks, because the Inspection takes less time.