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Scales and what do they mean


        Ever have to cross a scale in the performance of your duties, or does your state allow you to bypass them. Well several states require you to stop and get weighted and or get inspected. Here in Oregon, we are required to stop if they tow truck and vehicle exceeds 20,000 pounds, or if it’s a commercial vehicle, hauling salvage vehicles, new or used vehicles. Sounds like you have to stop for everything.

        Of course when you cross into another state you are required to abide by their laws and regulations. I can image the problems that companies in the Chicago area have to deal with, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan are but a hour (in good traffic) away.

        So what can you expect if you go into the scales, well now-a-days, a lot of scale houses are becoming “SMART”, which means that you are weighed in motion on the highway, and if the computer decides then you are called in by signs and arrows that light up telling you to enter the scales. At this point you know that you are going to be checked more closely. This entails the scale master doing a rolling check of your vehicle to see if anything is dragging, loose or the like. One of their favorites is loose lug nuts; the streaking rust on the wheels is the give away. Some times you will be stopped on the scale for a more accurate weight. They also can call you in for a “level 3” inspection, which is a paperwork inspection.
        This involves them looking at you drivers license, medical card (not your Blue Cross-Blue Shield card), vehicle registration, fuel permits, insurance paperwork, bills of lading, and for the few lucky people your log book. Yes the famous “comic book or book of lies” I hope that they people who have to use them, know how to properly fill them out. Failure to do so can result in fines, or even the driver being placed out “OUT OF SERVICE”. Last time I checked most scale houses are not located in areas that offer much in the way of things to do, or places to go. Remember when you are out of service you ‘CAN NOT” drive. So the 8 or so hours will be real long.





        If they decide to do a “level 5” inspection, then get ready to have the tow truck inspected for equipment violations. But there is one thing to remember, be kind and helpful to the inspector as he might not know everything about the proper hook up of a disabled vehicle. If he asks a question do not attempt to BS him, they are pretty smart.
        I know this for a fact, I interviewed for a job with the Oregon Department of Transportation as a Motor Carrier Safety Inspection Officer. I was one of 11 selected for interviews out of about 100 people, and I did not get the job.

        If you are in tow, and they start to inspect the brakes on the towed unit, ask them to stop and get out from under the vehicle, there are two reasons for doing this, first it’s not allowed under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, section 393.48-c-1. And second it is against OSHA regulations to be under a hanging or suspended load without proper blocking. Tell them you will set it down or properly block it for them. Now this might not get you in trouble but it might create a problem and things that might be overlooked might now fail.

        Remember that the inspectors are trying to keep SAFE EQUIPMENT on the roads and get the junk off the road. They are people that you do not want to get mad at you, they can either make life tough for your or provide you with lots of business by referring out of service vehicles to you. Then have a hard enough job as it is. Can you handle the customers yelling at you about their broke down vehicles; remember they have the person there for 8 or more hours.

        So next time you see the “OPEN” sign, try not to sweat it to bad, just pull in and follow the directions. You might get the coveted “PASSED” inspection sticker, and that shows you have a safe vehicle. If they tell you about a problem that is developing, then you have a jump on something that might cause your truck to go down during the busy times. That would be just as bad as sitting in a scale house parking lot with nothing to eat for a while.