Weigh Station News that Matters- February 2007

When truckers know there is a weigh station ahead, they will get into the right lane to be ready to exit. If they have a transponder in their truck for a pre-clearance service (PrePass, Best Pass, Green Light or Norpass), they may not exit, but they’ll get in the right lane until their transponder gives them “the green light.” Sometimes the weigh station is closed and the truckers don’t have to exit the freeway.

But when truckers don’t know there is a weigh station ahead, they may get caught out in the left lane. If they are passing slower moving vehicles (most likely other truckers who have slowed down in preparation to exit to the weigh station), they may have to do some tricky driving to get over into the right lane in time. Or they may miss the exit altogether and pull over on the shoulder of the freeway. These truckers walk into the scale house with their paperwork in hand and their heads hanging low.

You can blame the trucker for not being prepared in those instances, but what about weigh stations that have been closed down for a while? What about new weigh stations or scale houses that aren’t marked correctly on the trucker atlas? Truckers want to be prepared, but sometimes there are factors that at truck driver just can’t control.

Here are some recent weigh station updates:

Wildwood, Florida
I 75 south bound mile marker 338.5
This weigh station is closed to tear down the old scale house and build a new one. The old scale house was not able to handle the computer system updates that were needed. The weigh station is inoperable during the building process and is expected to reopen April 2007.

Elizabethtown, Kentucky
I 65 north bound mile marker 89.5
This weigh station is permanently closed. The commercial vehicle enforcement officers run the weigh stations in Kentucky, but the Kentucky Department of Transportation owns the property and facilities. The Department of Transportation decided the weigh station was no longer necessary and has closed it down. They have torn down the scale house and are in the process of tearing out all of the concrete. There will be nothing remaining when they are done- no truck parking, no ramps, nothing.

Gallup, New Mexico
I 40 west bound mile marker 12
This is a new check station for portables and inspections. It is located across from the east bound port of entry. There may not be a building there, but it’s more than just a wide spot on the shoulder.

Lumberton, North Carolina
I 95 north bound mile marker 24
This weigh station is closed in order to replace the truck scale. They finished the process on the south bound side and are in process on the north bound side. There is no projected reopening date because the project is tedious and involves too many factors to count on. It may take anywhere from a few days to several months.

Ashland County, Ohio
I 71 south bound mile marker 190
This weigh station is permanently closed. There are no plans to reopen the weigh station though Commercial Vehicle Enforcement may continue to use this location to perform roadside truck inspections.

Hancock County, Ohio
I 75 south bound mile marker 162
This weigh station is temporarily closed. This weigh station was closed due to erosion to the foundation below the truck scale. It was supposed to reopen Spring of 2007 but financial delays have delayed the repairs until a projected reopening in November 2007.

Medina County, Ohio
I 76 east bound mile marker 5.5
This weigh station is permanently closed. There are no plans to reopen the weigh station though Commercial Vehicle Enforcement may continue to use this location to perform roadside truck inspections.

If you know of any other weigh station closures or openings, please let us know.
It’s our job to keep you informed, but we need your eyes and ears to let us know what information is needed!

Tags: Weigh Station, PrePass, Best Pass, Green Light, Norpass, Department Of Transportation, Check Station, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement