[matcat]

Because I haul a crane van, I weight in at close to 38,000 empty, so when I do back hauls (my usual loads usually don't weight more then 20,000), I always have to be extra careful because they will often try to squeeze 45,000+ on there and I can only legally haul about 42,000 at MAX. Also because of the crane I tend to be tandem heavy, so if I ever get a load more then 30,000 I scale it because I know the tandems will be over gross.

Last back haul I did, company had a scale. Loaded me up, I went across the scale the first time after being loaded (keep in mind I TOLD them they couldn't put more then 42k on there), the readout was: 11,500, 29,750, 44,560! They had to take out a couple pallets, reload the entire load to move it to the front as much as possible, and I slid my tandems ALL the way back (I usually have to do this on any load 30k+), go across again, 11,500, 33,920, 33,990. I decided to go to a cat scale just for the assurance, cat scale ticket came out: 11,980, 34,291, 35,870! Needless to say I went back with cat scale in hand and had them take some more off.

BTW for those that don't know what 't-call' is it is a SWIFT term for dropping a trailer at a terminal or drop yard for someone else to pick up. When I drove for swift I t-called quite a few loads that where 44k+ without a scale ticket, simply because they told me the load was too important and time frame too tight, it didn't happen a lot, but it did happen.

Also don't trust them scales in some of the swift yards either, I have found they can usually be quite off.

As far as taping the pig tail, a lot of swift trailers have screwed up connectors, and I always carried a small bungie specific for that purpose, I have had my pig tail fall out of numerous trailers with swift, a couple times at night too!

[matcat]

Just a little side story I remembered...

When I was getting my scale ticket on the load previously mentioned, a driver in front of me, an asian that barely spoke english, pulled me off to the side pointing at his scale ticket, it took a minute to realize he was asking me what way he was supposed to slide his tandems! I looked at his scale ticket, it was something like 11,500, 33,200, 34,100, something to that effect. So I did my best to explain to him how to slide his tandems and in what direction, that is right he didn't even know HOW to slide them!

I never did catch what company he drove for. Personally I wouldn't of even bothered sliding them, 100lb over is not going to get you in any trouble.

[Old Salt_19]

Scaling a load was never an issue for me, I scaled all of them. Why not when the company was reimbursing me along with any reweighs. When it came to dropping a load at one of our terminals or in one of our yards for another driver, I would always include additional info on the paperwork. I would include my type of tractor, amount of fuel when scaled, and the setting it was scaled on. Being that we drove Intl, Freightliners, Volvos and whatever the O/O drove. Puts my fellow drivers a little more at ease to have that info, especially if they were on the receiving end of a 44K or 45K load.

[AC120]

Kevin --

You scaled a load before leaving the shipper. You tried to run legal HOS. You got burned by a planner. (Muttering a**hole wasn't too smart, now, was it? They can fire you for insubordination. Best thing to do is tell it to the steering wheel.) Other than that remark, I can't see what you did wrong.

Would I scale again after scaling and knowing I was legal? Nope, unless there was a company policy and circumstances that said I had to. Then I'd just do it and move on.

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

Seems to me this is really simple common sense.

If they want it scaled, you scale it.

I'll give you credit for one thing, Kev- you are learning to snivel like a real profssional trucker.

Now that I'm saying this I will probably have it bite me in the azz- but I tend to trust shippers about weights. If, for example, they tell me I've got 52K on the deck of one of our spring ride flats, and I see the air suspension load guage for the tractor telling me I'm over 33K on the drivers, well then I know I should be under 34K on the trailer.

I thought we were in an era where almost all trucks were air ride with at least a simple dashboard load guage. Learn how to use it & you should be able to figure out most situations.

[Kevin0915]

Originally Posted by AC120

Kevin --

You scaled a load before leaving the shipper. You tried to run legal HOS. You got burned by a planner. (Muttering a**hole wasn't too smart, now, was it? They can fire you for insubordination. Best thing to do is tell it to the steering wheel.) Other than that remark, I can't see what you did wrong.

Would I scale again after scaling and knowing I was legal? Nope, unless there was a company policy and circumstances that said I had to. Then I'd just do it and move on.

Well seeing how the phone i was on and the phone the planner was on sounded like a POS, i would imagine that the receiver being face down on the counter when i said it, really dont think he heard it other than the bang of me setting it down. LOL.

Now i know to drop a trailer at a drop yard thats over 35,000lbs, i need a scale ticket. I was planning on getting one before dropping it. Getting it scaled before dropping the trailer isnt an issue, and i dont have a problem doing that. Once the load got T-called on me, i planned to get it scaled with a certified ticket.

but until the load happens to get t-called on me, and i've scaled the load at the shipper, and i know i'm legal, and even roll across 2-3 weigh stations en route, and i dont get pulled around, then WTFart do i need to scale it again, UNLESS i do get it t-called.

[AC120]

Kevin --

I was agreeing with you. Some planners, you wonder how they can even get up in the morning.

[GMAN]

It is in your interest as a driver as well as the company that you scale and be legal. A companies safety record impacts the likelihood of you and your fellow drivers, being pulled into a scale and having paperwork and equipment inspected. Besides, you don't want to have to pay for being over weight when they could easily be prevented by weighing the load. It doesn't take long to find a CAT scale and weigh your load. It is much preferable to getting a ticket.

[matcat]

Originally Posted by GMAN

It is in your interest as a driver as well as the company that you scale and be legal. A companies safety record impacts the likelihood of you and your fellow drivers, being pulled into a scale and having paperwork and equipment inspected. Besides, you don't want to have to pay for being over weight when they could easily be prevented by weighing the load. It doesn't take long to find a CAT scale and weigh your load. It is much preferable to getting a ticket.

Your getting a ticket either way! Either it is an $8 cat scale ticket, or a $100+ DOT ticket

[Fredog]

Originally Posted by Rev.Vassago

No offense Kevin, but you seem to have a beef with pretty much everyone - not only people on this board, but people you interact with in real life. The guy at your terminal saw something that was out of the ordinary (packing tape wrapped around the pigtail), and was concerned that there was an issue. He is right - if the pigtail is not staying in on its own, then there is an issue with it that needs to be corrected. Even if you were trying to be "extra safe" by wrapping it in tape, that still doesn't change the fact that the guy was simply being concerned that there was a problem. You should be thankful that he was being proactive and trying to supply you with well maintained equipment. Would you rather he not give a crap about the trailer so that you can have breakdowns on the road?

BTW, in 12+ years of driving, having pulled almost every type of trailer out there, I have yet to have my pigtail cable fall out of the connector. Sure - I've had instances where it was not making a proper connection, but when that happens, I fix the problem the right way. No packing tape jerry-rigging necessary.

To answer your original question:

Ultimately, it's their truck, their trailer, and their load. So it is their call as to how it is handled. If they want you to scale it, then you're obligated to do so. Also, you're not really "paying for the scale ticket", as I'm sure Swift reimburses you for scale tickets anyway.

HOLY COW!! I find myself agreeing with Rev once gain, if I told the shop that the pigtail wouldnt stay in and the said, put some tape around it, I would find another job
I cant understand anyone being upset about a safety issue being fixed