So what's the deal with weight stations?

[SteveWoz]

Do RVs have to get weighed?

[mobeewan]

I've stopped at a local company that sells dirt, gravel and landscaping materials both retail and wholesale. When I've needed to weigh I usually stop and walk into the office and ask. I offer to pay but they have always told me to to pull up when I was ready. They've never been so busy I had to wait, but I will let a paying customer pull onto the scales first. They usually give me a print out that looks like a cash register receipt with my weights on it.

[aftermath]

In the state of Washington, the weigh stations on the highways, not the freeways, allow you to read the scales when they are closed, which by the way, is most of the time.

I have weighed my set up three times over the years. It is a nice service.

[houstonstroker]

CAT Scales has an app that's easy to use. Open the app drive onto the scales, put in the 4 digit code by the speaker and it does the rest. Of course you have to set up the app ahead of time with a payment source. After pulling onto the scales I received the weights on the app and it emailed my a pdf file of the weight ticket. $11.50 I believe.

[1320Fastback]

We went through one of those kind of stops on the way to Carlsbad NM just outside of El Paso. Was a permanent building and inspection station. One LEO was at each of our windows asking us the same questions making sure our stories lined up and a third LEO with a dog checked out under our trailer and truck.

[Itching2go]

Horsedoc wrote:
We have bee required to stop in one of the border states. We were on I-10 and there flashing signs said "all vehicles must stop for inspection" We got flagged into the shelter and the autos were waved on thru the regular lane. Three nice LEO types wanted to know where we were from as I pulled up and he just tipped his hat and said something like 'go ahead, you're fine'
I suspct they were looking for illegals and we didn't fit the profile of a coyote.

Yep. This was a border control check, looking for illegals and drugs. A common occurrence on I-10.

[Horsedoc]

We have bee required to stop in one of the border states. We were on I-10 and there flashing signs said "all vehicles must stop for inspection" We got flagged into the shelter and the autos were waved on thru the regular lane. Three nice LEO types wanted to know where we were from as I pulled up and he just tipped his hat and said something like 'go ahead, you're fine'
I suspct they were looking for illegals and we didn't fit the profile of a coyote.

[wanderingbob]

Immediately after 9/11 , Florida required all trailers to stop . It only lasted 4 or 5 days ! I did once get ran down and pulled over pulling a TT because there were no windows on my home built truck topper but that was a Florida Ag Station . They were afraid that I was hauling smuggled potatoes , or watermelons, or prob citrus ! ,

[1320Fastback]

I got flashed by a electronic sign in Arkansas a few months ago to pull in with my truck and trailer. Of course I did not and the wife asked why. I said we are not commercial, not paid and not for hire. Wasn't 100% sure it may not of been a safety type inspection but was prepared to say I didn't see the sign as I have no reasonable expectation to be looking at that sign anyways as a private individual.

[hornet28]

New Buffalo is frequently open

[CFerguson]

ZINGERLITE wrote:
Living in michigan i've never seen one open! ha!

HaHa! Good one! And so true.

[ZINGERLITE]

Living in michigan i've never seen one open! ha!

[DrewE]

SteveWoz wrote:
Thanks everyone! That's good news!
Follow up question: Where CAN you get a motorhome weighed in order to make sure ypur not over the GVWR, or do you just estimate how much all your stuff weighs?Thanks everione!

Some places leave the scales running in their weigh stations even when they aren't actively in use, with the readouts visible from outside. Some states don't, or gate them off, or use portable scales that are not even there when the weigh station is closed. (I suppose some weigh stations also never close).

[schlep1967]

Airdaile wrote:
Maryland is the only state I've ever stopped at a weigh station because...

8. What vehicles must go through weigh stations in Maryland?

All vehicles with a gross vehicle weight or gross vehicle weight rating of greater than 10,000 pounds must stop at open weigh stations. Only vehicles that are operating in commerce may be subject to a safety inspection.

Note that it says all vehicles and makes a separate note about the different treatment of commercial vehicles.

Also note it doesn't say Combined gross vehicle weight. So when towing with my Dodge Ram 2500 with a GVWR of 8,900 lbs, I'm driving right past.
If you are in a Motorhome with a rating over 10K you might want to stop.

[lenr]

CAT Scales are everywhere and actually easy to use. Don't be intimidated by the semi-trucks, just pull on to the scale. Pull on slow and don't stop fast--it's hard on the scale equipment. The scale will have 3 sections--pull forward until the steering axle is on the final section, drive axle is on the middle section, and trailer wheels are on the first section (motor homes--make a judgement on what sections to stop on). Then step out and pick up the phone. The attendant will want to know your trucking company and truck number--I usually tell them Private and #1--but they don't care--they just need to enter something. It helps them find your ticket in a stack of tickets that other drivers haven't picked up. The attendant on the phone will tell you to pull forward--just find a place to park that doesn't impede other trucks--that about all the other drivers care about--just don't slow them down. Go inside to the "Fuel Desk"--it's usually obvious. There'll be a fee ($11 last time) to get your weight ticket. You can also, usually, re-weigh in 24 hours for a smaller fee. You need to tell them on the phone that it is a re-weigh. Re-weigh is necessary to get the hitch or pin weight. While virtually all grain elevators have a scale and most would weigh free, it's likely that they only have one platform so you couldn't get hitch or pin weight without tricks such as part of the rig off the scale. Good luck weighing!