Bad First Impression!

So yes, I just started with a new company this very week. I always think it's a good idea to make a great first impression.

Instead, here I sit at a weigh station in Virginia with a preloaded 36,000 lb load with the tandems slid back as far as the law allows (41ft), and I'm at more than 35,000lbs on the tandems and 22,000lbs on my drives.

What can we learn from this?

Waiting for company to figure out what they want me to do. I was unaware of this fact: Virginia will allow you to carry your load within its borders for 24hrs after an overweight citation. Unfortunately I need to go into North Carolina where another violation can be assessed if I get pulled into a weigh station in that state.

No your fault, right?

The only citation I’ve gotten in my short career was in Virginia for exactly the same reason.

If it’s not Realdiehls fault who’s would it be Bruce? That’s the harsh reality. But with that said the same thing happened to me as well. Got a huge fine. Was way way overweight and had no idea. Never let it happen again. Made sure to scale our every time. Assumptions will get you in trouble.

No your fault, right?

The only citation I’ve gotten in my short career was in Virginia for exactly the same reason.

Not sure if Bruce was being sarcastic there.

Assumptions will get you in trouble.

That's the major lesson to be learned from something like this. Yes. The trailer was improperly loaded to account for weight distribution. But the driver is the last line of defense. As soon as you sign the bills, the load and all its potential problems are now in your hands. Companies like Prime have a device on their trailers to let you see the weight on the tandems and a meter in the cab to let you see the weight on the drives. Would have come in handy today.

That's a very important reminder. I've just one a few loads inside of CA. Both were heavy, one at 44.5k and one at 41k. I skipped weighing the 41k as it was in the bay area and it was miles before I got to a fist scale my laziness in not weighing it could have got me into trouble. I weighed the second one, after I got to the J at the top of the grapevine. It was at 33.5k on my drives with about 50 gallons of fuel left. Tandems were fine.

But again. I got luck and at best would have gotten faulted for driving all the back to have the load reworked if it needed it. I'm picking up another CA load right now, first thing I'm doing is scaling it.

Not sure if Bruce was being sarcastic there.

Assumptions will get you in trouble.

That's the major lesson to be learned from something like this. Yes. The trailer was improperly loaded to account for weight distribution. But the driver is the last line of defense. As soon as you sign the bills, the load and all its potential problems are now in your hands. Companies like Prime have a device on their trailers to let you see the weight on the tandems and a meter in the cab to let you see the weight on the drives. Would have come in handy today.

RD, no sarcasm intended. It wasn’t your fault that this happened, so don’t fret. Bummer that it was the first day, but handling these things in a professional manner (as I’m sure you did), makes a great first impression.

If it’s not Realdiehls fault who’s would it be Bruce? That’s the harsh reality. But with that said the same thing happened to me as well. Got a huge fine. Was way way overweight and had no idea. Never let it happen again. Made sure to scale our every time. Assumptions will get you in trouble.

No your fault, right?

The only citation I’ve gotten in my short career was in Virginia for exactly the same reason.

Whose fault? Some things happen and nobody is at fault. We can always blame the devil, lol

You are a hundred percent wrong Bruce. We both know that. But I don’t have time to dignify this response any further.

I have to ask, did this load pickup out of Inwood WV by any chance? Btw I’ve not weighed loads that weighed more than that, put they were usually pulling very smoothly. Whoever loaded that trailer didnt know what they were doing.

Not sure if Bruce was being sarcastic there.

Assumptions will get you in trouble.

That's the major lesson to be learned from something like this. Yes. The trailer was improperly loaded to account for weight distribution. But the driver is the last line of defense. As soon as you sign the bills, the load and all its potential problems are now in your hands. Companies like Prime have a device on their trailers to let you see the weight on the tandems and a meter in the cab to let you see the weight on the drives. Would have come in handy today.

RD, no sarcasm intended. It wasn’t your fault that this happened, so don’t fret. Bummer that it was the first day, but handling these things in a professional manner (as I’m sure you did), makes a great first impression.

You are a hundred percent wrong Bruce. We both know that. But I don’t have time to dignify this response any further.

So yes, I just started with a new company this very week. I always think it's a good idea to make a great first impression.

Instead, here I sit at a weigh station in Virginia with a preloaded 36,000 lb load with the tandems slid back as far as the law allows (41ft), and I'm at more than 35,000lbs on the tandems and 22,000lbs on my drives.

What can we learn from this?

Waiting for company to figure out what they want me to do. I was unaware of this fact: Virginia will allow you to carry your load within its borders for 24hrs after an overweight citation. Unfortunately I need to go into North Carolina where another violation can be assessed if I get pulled into a weigh station in that state.

No sarcasm, nor S's & G's here, gang . . . but in all sincerity, see this is the stuff I've never learned. Tanks, well... are 'tankless' or vis a vis. Okay, jokes aside. Is there NO WAY that this couldn't have been made 'legal' what with the total GVWR et al .. and the tandems and kingpin settings?

Seriously; I wasn't 'with' when Tom was pulling boxes OTR , and intrastate doesn't count. Intriguing and unnerving it is.

So ... what to do? Rework? 'Run with it?' I see that you ARE getting it reworked/assessed. RD, since it's only a 'few pounds,' BUT ..had you been with "other company C" for quite awhile and were an ole' hand there, would you just go with it? I'm asking seriously. When something 'minor' becomes 'major' and we're not talking staffs & clefs.

(What IS that do'hickey that Prime has that others do not?)

I'm just trying to learn here, guys. This is a very interesting thread, to me and future greens. Appreciated, y'all.

Thanks, RD;

Sorry for your conundrum, however.

~ Anne ~