Scaling After Loading, And Why You Should Do It

My rule of thumb that I use, if it's over 40,000 lbs, I scale it just to be sure.

You're bolder than I! I scale if it's over 30,000. I used to scale absolutely everything, but I only scale the heavy stuff now that I always load out of the same place.

Matt asks,

Do you get paid for the time they have to come fix it?

Answer: no.

If you find you are over weight, you must return to the shipper and have them off load. Then you can be on your way, probably to get a re-scale just to be sure.

These kinds of things are part of your job.

I also scale anything in excess of 30,000lbs. Primarily because I want to confirm axle weights are legal and balanced. Although the weights coming out of the Walmart DC are spot-on I cannot determine how it's dispersed on the trailer. At any time the trailer could have six pallets of paper products in the nose, and six pallets of bottled water on the tail...it's a balancing act.

Do you get paid for the time they have to come fix it?

That must depend on the company. I get detention pay. So if it takes them more than two hours to load me, then yes, I get paid by the minute.

So in a situation where they will need to rework, I message dispatch I need to CAT scale it, then I go and come back and get reworked. When they are done I send the depart macro and do a live call as required. I get paid detention for both the original load and the rework past the first two hours.

I also scale anything in excess of 30,000lbs. Primarily because I want to confirm axle weights are legal and balanced. Although the weights coming out of the Walmart DC are spot-on I cannot determine how it's dispersed on the trailer. At any time the trailer could have six pallets of paper products in the nose, and six pallets of bottled water on the tail...it's a balancing act.

I have to be careful with these Target loads sometimes because they like to load them heavy toward the rear for some reason. I have the air pressure sensor in this daycab for the air bags but I'm not quite used to these daycabs yet. I pulled a 35,000 lb load out of the DC the other day with the tandems less than halfway forward. Scaled and found my tandems were at 32k! You can do the math...in a daycab that's about a 10k difference between the drives and the tandems. Crazy..

It's as if they put a bunch of packing peanuts in the nose. "We know Paul drives like a maniac so we're going to put a bunch of these peanuts in the front. That way if he slams on the brakes the poor chap won't get a load of merchandise through the cab. Cheerio!"

G, do they have a scale in your WM DC? That's one thing I miss about Walmart. No scale in this yard.

G, do they have a scale in your WM DC? That's one thing I miss about Walmart. No scale in this yard.

Yes, I scale at the gate. Fairly accurate. The only time I run without scaling that is if I am short loaded; less than 20 pallets and it's my second run. I have the exact same issues as you do on Target...consolidated grocery loads are all over the map as far as weights and balance.

If I can see the load before they seal it, I'll scale at 30k and up. If it's a Pre load and I can't see it before I take it, I think real hard about scaling at 25k and up.

If it's 25k of stuff loaded all toward the front, could be over on your drives. Just a precaution I guess.

The worst is produce cause we driver load and even when you tell them single double single they still load it the way they want.

McAllen TX was mentioned....ooophs! They push extra pallets on you and say in Spanish "its ok". The driver next to me scaled out at 84000!!!!

So I told them in no uncertain terms " no more palleto than what paper says" when you argue you with them pull that no English crap. Yeah OK dude. Sure. Let me explain this... I'll throw the damn pallet back off and not leave the door.

Hahaha. See what a difference a year makes??? Hahsh

CRST policy is to scale anything over 27,500. They pay for the scale too.