Most states require commercial vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds to stop at each weigh station along their route unless they are equipped with bypass preclearance equipment. What can a driver expect from a service station?
Drivers should be prepared for some level of inspection in addition to rolling over a weigh-in-motion scale to ensure the truck is operating within federal and/or state weight limits. And it usually begins as soon as the vehicle arrives at the facility.
“There are a few things that are likely being checked before you even get to the scales when you report to a weigh station,” Collin Mooney, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), told FreightWaves.
“License plate readers and [Department of Transportation number] readers are being captured and run against databases for motor carrier safety ratings and scores as the cars approach the approach ramp.” It’s something drivers won’t see because it happens on the administrative side of things.”
Inspectors look at the general condition of the vehicle, such as tires, cargo security, and lights when cars roll over the scale, Mooney explained. The driver may then be directed to a different area for a more thorough inspection — Level 1 (full), Level 2 (walk-around), or Level 3 inspection (driver-only).
“I believe the vast majority of inspections will be Level 1,” Mooney said. “Once the truck is backed up, the inspector will begin by reviewing the driver’s hours-of-service records.” The inspector can then decide whether to undertake a Level 3 inspection, a Level 2 inspection, or a full Level 1 inspection.”
A Level 1-3 inspection would be considered an exception when a state performs a special examination for something unique, such as an hours-of-service check, Mooney observed.
Because states have various truck weight restrictions and safety guidelines, drivers can expect to encounter weigh stations along state borders, according to the New England Tractor Trailer Training School (NETTTS). According to the training institution, many states also use portable scales, which allow weighing stations to be set up at any site large enough to accommodate trucks.
According to NETTTS, “portable scales enable DOT and state inspectors to set up seasonal and temporary check sites near remote highways with considerable truck traffic.” “Temporary checkpoints also let truck truckers evade weigh stations.”
Drivers who do not stop risk being pulled over by law enforcement officers stationed at the highway reentry ramp, according to the school. They could be ticketed and forced to return to the scale.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently launched research on weigh station bypass/preclearance devices to evaluate the safety advantages to the trucking industry, such as crash reduction, injuries prevented, and lives saved. According to an FMCSA source, the study has not yet been completed.
