Beginner Question: Weigh Station/CAT Scale

A weight station is where they rape you. A cat scaleis like a gun. It tells u if your over weight. No real way to avoid them yes u got to go in.

 

cat scales are certified scales at the truck stops
as each axle has to be legal
no way to avoid state run scale houses
overweight isn't the issue today it was years ago for most
weight issues per axle are

produce loads are unpredictable weight wise
compared to say 2000 cases of Budweiser

 

cat scales tell you if the load is to heavy overall or on an axle, that way you can correct the problem and not get a fine at a state scale.

 

CAT SCALES have absolutely nothing to do with the weight stations. they are there so you can check your weights to make sure you are legal BEFORE going across the state dot scales.

otherwise, the state scales will make your life miserable and your wallet lighter. and it's the law you have to go through them. or at least by them.

technically speaking of course.

 

Cat Scale is an independent company at the majority of truck stops. They are strictly there for the driver to weigh his truck and make sure his load is legal. You can weigh for $9 I think. I've been off the road a couple years now so it might be more now? Reweighs use to be a dollar if you are having problems balancing your load out. Once you get experience the less you have to weigh because you know what your light load limits are. If you are heavy on one set of axles you can move your axles to transfer the weight towards the other set. Even on the steer tires you can move your fifth wheel on most trucks to transfer that weight. CatScales are everywhere and many are strategically located near DOT scale houses. Most of the time you have no problem finding one but occasionally it might be a challenge. Some customers even have their own scales you can use.

Most DOT scales if you have your ducks in a row are a breeze. Many have bypass lanes and preweigh you coming in and if you are light enough you'll get a bypass. They might eyeball your truck as you roll through or they might be reading a newspaper. If you are loaded heavy usually you are directed to their scales and follow their light signals. Sometimes you are pulled around back for an inspection.

If you live near a toll road you might be familiar with EZPass or PikePass. Many companies subscribe to PrePass which is at most scale houses. You have a transponder in your truck with a red and green light. Green you go on and red you have to pull in. Companies are ranked by violations which gives the company a certain percentage of random red lights. If you work for a safe company you'll get mainly green lights. Them big ol' light pole things you see hanging over the interstate communicates with your transponder. They see on a TV screen you approaching and the computer responds accordingly. Prepass has joined with EZPass so it serves a dual purpose as a toll pass if you have that particular transponder. You can go to Prepass.com if you want to read more on it.

On a rare occasion you might find yourself in a pickle with no where to scale out at and a DOT scalehouse in your path. That case you might have to find an alternate route which you are risking getting in trouble because sometimes DOT watches them obvious routes. They do carry portable scales they can weigh you on the shoulder of the road if they want or wait until the scalehouse closes which many do at night. Then again you'll get good enough to estimate your load unless you are extremely heavy. Some trucks even have on board scales or a pressure gauge which simply is a pressure gauge mounted on your airbag line. Get good with that and you'll scale out even less.

 

CAT scales are located at truck stops for the most part. You use them to get your weight right so you don't have any problems with your weight at the weigh stations. You are allowed 12,000 on the front axle, 34,000 on the drives and 34,000 on the tandems for a total of 80,000 lbs. You weigh on the CAT scales and then adjust your weight for the axles by moving your 5th wheel and/or tandems until you get them right. There is no relationship between the CAT scales and state run weigh stations, CAT scales are supposed to be certified so that they give you the right weight for each axle. CAT scales only tell you the weight ... weigh stations burn you if you don't have it right. Sometimes there are ways around scale houses if you know the local routes ... but if you aren't local and don't know the area well, it's best to stay on the big road .