Who has to stop at these? What is their purpose? I’ve seen signs saying all truckers must stop but some semi’s and trucks hauling trailers pass by them.
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To make sure trucks aren’t carrying too much weight. Overloaded trucks can damage to the roads and can even cause accidents. There are laws concerning weight limits on trucks. The scales prove the truck is either appropriately burdened or overburdened which can result in fines.
There’s several functions, one is literally just weighing trucks to make sure they aren’t overweight on one axle or overall.
They also inpsect trucks and drivers logs (record of time driving/on duty) at these stations.
You can get a system that lets you bypass the scales based on the safety record of your carrier. It’s either built into a tablet on the dash or you have a little ez pass type thing but it flashes and beeps to let you know if you have to go in or not. The idea being very safe carriers don’t require heavy enforcement and it’s better to only inspect them on occasion and focus on the shadier carriers.
Also they aren’t always open. In which case you can bypass them, also if traffic is backed up past the exit lane end you can bypass the scales legally.
Some have a weigh in motion (exactly what it sounds like) system that then directs you to pull in for a more accurate reading or bypass.
Different states all do it slightly differently and different stations within those states will be different based on how much traffic they need to handle.
A few reasons.
1) To ensure that the cargoes being moved are not overweight, which can both cause damage to roads as well as be a safety hazard.
2) To ensure drivers are not driving too long without manditory rest breaks. Truck drivers need to fill out log books like airplane pilots do, and record when they both start and stop driving for the day.
3) To ensure the safety and soundness of the vehicle.
Some jurisdictions allow for empty trucks to bypass.
Some scale sites also incorporate in motion (IM) weighing typically in the right lane prior to the pull out for the weigh scales. The IM scale is not as accurate as a static scale but is used for screening. In this case, a light will indicate that the truck can by-pass or must report to the scale for weighing or inspection.
There is also an allowance sometimes made to allow trucks to bypass if the scale lane is full as you approach. Or, you can simply take your chance and see if you get chased down.
Those are to make sure the trucks aren’t overweight. Heavier trucks do more damage to the road and carry more momentum, meaning they take longer to stop, whether through braking or crashing. Overweight trucks will be fined.
Most of the time, the stations aren’t open. There’s lights to indicate when they are open. Skipping an open weigh station also carries a fine, regardless of whether the truck was overweight or not. Skipping the weigh station multiple times can also result in suspension of a CDL or even jail time.
Roads have a weight limit to prevent unnecessary damage to the road surface that would require extra/early maintenance. Large trucks and the like are going to be able to come close to or exceed those limits depending on what they’re hauling. The weigh stations are how states verify that the trucks are within those limits. There are also stations to check for agricultural goods and permits.
The drivers separate from the normal flow of traffic and drive over scales in the road that weigh the individual axels of the trucks. If the weight is within regulations, they’re good. If it’s close they could be directed to a more sensitive scale to verify their weight. If they’re over they could get a ticket and or have to park until they can get the issue fixed. That could be another truck coming and taking some of the load or getting a special permit to exceed the limits for the trip.
Sometimes a weigh station will have high speed scales on the highway so the drivers can be weighed at full speed in the right lane without exiting, then only the close or over weight trucks have to exit. Other times the weigh station will only do random weighs, using the lights on the side of the road to direct some trucks in while letting others pass. And finally there are computers (PrePass) inside some trucks that allow the driver to pre-register with the state and be allowed to bypass some weigh stations. Those use a big white boom mic looking thing hanging over the right lane to communicate with the computer in the truck. They might still get randomly selected to be verified though.
When a driver is stopped for a detailed weight check, they’re also usually checked for stuff as well. They have to keep a logbook of their work and drive times to meet DOT (Dept of Transportation)safety standards, that’s check and verified that it’s up to date and within compliance. They also need to have proper license and insurance as well as have paid any fuel taxes that they may owe, and may have to have a DOT safety inspection of their truck and trailer.
So, what happens if say, a car with a family gets lost and pulls in there, mistaking it for an exit?
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