My company wants me to request two inspections at weigh stations

I know that an owner operator i used to drive for in California would get an inspection by an actual state Scale DOT officer who would do it off duty to make extra money so incase anything happened at the scale he wouldn't have to have it towed or fixed on the spot by some mechanic charging overpriced fees.
Maybe look into that. Doesn't hurt to ask

 

While loading a few years ago, I was talking to the driver who was a few doors from me. He was an OO and lived in California. Once a month he washed his truck and made sure it was perfect and pulled in to the same scale in California. He said it took them 15 minutes to do a level one and he always passed. He said dot never bothered him as he always had a clean level 1 that was less than 4 weeks old. So it can have a benefit.

 

Hope his experience level is not just the 6 months he mentioned as being w the company.

 

I been driving 21 years and I try to avoid the scale, lol. I mean there is always something that malfunctions on a truck. Most times things that you miss or are on the under carriage

 

Winner.

The only guarantee you'll pass an inspection is not have one.

You could go get an annual at a TA or Petro, pay the $50 or whatever they charge, then go directly to a scale.

At least you'd have given yourself the best chance possible.

 

I love poking hornet nests too.......

 

I can't say for 100% sure but I would estimate of my last 10 inspections all but maybe 3 were roadside far far away from a scale house. I also received clean inspections in all but one. That one was in Oklahoma and they got me for a log violation because I had forgotten to bring up my line from line 4 to line 3 before I left Texas. Just saying something always goes wrong so why bother and avoid scales as a solution (ain't) going to work! A good walk around NOT wearing earbuds with the latest music blasting can help you keep the easy and clearly obvious violations fixed! A good look under the hood and at least once a day to take a few minutes to look over the tires.

I have posted this link before. It may not be perfect but if you would use this as a guide and develop a personal inspection procedure based on it AND develop the discipline to stick to doing it, you would be surprised how many times you can get a clean inspection. I always ate a steak dinner with all the trimmings after I got a clean inspection because my carrier paid a reward for getting one!

 

When I drove for Swift, that was the requirement to be a "Mentor".....6 months. My DM was constantly asking me to become a trainer with the lure of more money. My answer was always no. The MEGAS bring in so many new drivers on a weekly basis, they don't have the "trainers" to get them on the road. The Fleece Purchase guys are usually the ones to bite. Anything to try to get that weekly settlement statement in the black.

 

I'm old school.
First you're a trainer, then after your student is proficient enough and out on his own you become his/her mentor.
To offer advice ,tips and life lessons learned from decades in the business. But I get the ATA boys need an assembly line of drivers..