The #1 Resource for Weigh Station and Truck Safety Information
Recent Trucking News & Articles
As an alignment expert and owner of LaserLine, Inc., I’ve gotten used to being asked a lot of questions about truck alignment. Two of the most pressing questions I’m asked are what affects fuel mileage and how can we, with alignment, diminish or lessen those forces that rob us of fuel efficiency?
Let’s start where we should, at the beginning, which, fittingly, is the front of the truck. Barring any suspension damage, the only thing on the front of the truck, or the bobtail, which I will subsequently refer to as “the power unit,” that can affect the fuel mileage would be the toe setting. Toe can be imagined as a set of skis- let’s say your steer tires are skis.
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Every day its seems like there are more trucks on the road. And every night, it seems like there are more trucks trying to park in the truck stops- and not enough parking spots to accommodate them. When truckers are tired, they need to park. Hours of Service legislation requires a 10 hour break, and when enough 10 hour breaks overlap, parking becomes scarce.
One option for truckers is parking at weigh stations. Some states allow it, some don't. It's best to know ahead of time so that, if you can't find a parking spot at the truck stop, you can have a backup plan! In Scalehouses and Parking, Part I, we covered California, Georgia, Florida and Kentucky weigh stations. This article covers Arkansas, Connecticut, Michigan, South Carolina and Wyoming.
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Rumor has it that on April Fool's Day (April 1st), truckers are shutting down to protest high fuel prices.
Fuel prices are sky high. There's no question about that. But what are struggling owner operators to do about it? Complain to each other on the c.b. radio? Lose their trucks? Cry?
Many truckers are planning to shut down from Tuesday, April 1, to Friday, April 4, 2008 (the dates vary from source to source, but the 1st through 4th is the general consensus). It's being called a "fuel shut down" or "trucker strike" (though it's not a traditional strike). It's not much, but it's something. And frustrated truck owners are looking for something to do about fuel prices.
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50 Truckers - 50 Answers
You can ask 50 truckers the same question and get 50 different answers. That's why we bypassed the trucker stories and went straight to the people who enforce the laws. Ever wonder what it's going to cost you if you get caught over weight? Will they let you go? Will they put you out of service? Will it go on your driving record? Is it legal to go around the truck scales?
This site is dedicated to the truckers who want the answers, not the tall tales. It is designed by drivers, for drivers. We have combined OTR experience of 20 years and a lot of friends who have been in the industry at least that long. We have talked to state DOT officers, state highway patrol and truck scale masters. In most cases, we got the answers we were looking for. Some states required a little coaxing and only a few refused to answer.
Did you know that in some states it is completely legal to go around the truck scale on state routes? That in some states, dodging the truck scale is more costly than just going over it heavy? That some states will let you go if you are over gross? That not all states will make you offload?
Don't assume you know the laws for the state you are driving through, KNOW you know them. Be informed, not just entertained!
We provide the information about truck scale locations, procedures, tolerance allowances and alternate routes when needed. We do not condone running illegal but we know that sometimes you have to do what you have to do. We want to arm you, the driver, with the information to choose the best course of action for your circumstances.
Weigh station locations are determined from state DOT websites, trucking maps and by personally driving by them on the freeway. We have made every attempt to be sure all information is accurate. If you notice any mistakes, contact us- this is YOUR website.
Truck scale phone numbers are sourced from highway patrol offices, DOT offices and state DOT websites. We list the exit before and after the weigh station wherever possible and mark down any truck parking we know of.
