MO DOT

[Truck Shop]

1. Weigh Stations (Enforcement Facilities)

Weigh Stations (Enforcement Facilities)

• Weigh Station Location List (PDF)
• Weigh Station Location Map (PDF)
• Mini-Site Weigh Station Location List (PDF)

Who Must Stop at Scales?
California's "Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facilities" are commonly called weigh stations or truck scales. These facilities are operated by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), not by Caltrans. However, Caltrans receives many inquiries about weigh stations. This page is designed to answer some of those questions. The links provide access to the on-line California Vehicle Code (CVC).

CVC Section 2813 outlines who must stop at weigh stations and inspection stations:

2813. Every driver of a commercial vehicle shall stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection of the size, weight, equipment, and smoke emissions of the vehicle at any location where members of the California Highway Patrol are conducting tests and inspections of commercial vehicles and when signs are displayed requiring the stop. Every driver who fails or refuses to stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection when signs are displayed requiring that stop is guilty of a misdemeanor.

CVC Section 260 defines "commercial vehicle" (bolding added):

260. (a) A "commercial vehicle" is a motor vehicle of a type required to be registered under this code used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.
(b) Passenger vehicles which are not used for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit and housecars are not commercial vehicles. ...
(c) Any vanpool vehicle is not a commercial vehicle.
(d) ...

CVC Section 410 defines a "motor truck" (bolding added):

410. A "motor truck" or "motortruck" is a motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.

CVC Section 471 defines "pickup truck" (bolding added):

471. A "pickup truck" is a motor truck with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of less than 11,500 pounds, an unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, and which is equipped with an open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length. "Pickup truck" does not include a motor vehicle otherwise meeting the above definition, that is equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly called a "utility body."

Do these vehicles have to stop at the scales?
PICKUP -- It depends on the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), unladen weight, and bed of the truck.

GVWR under 11,500 pounds, unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, and open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length -- NO.
GVWR 11,500 pounds or more, unladen weight 8,001 pounds or more, or not equipped with an open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length -- YES.


California rules for pickups.

 

[DMiller]

So Super Duties and Dodge RAM 3500s are required as are 14000+ GVWR, Ton and half service trucks are a mandatory. So any light truck over half ton with a weight tag is required to stop at scales in Peoples Republic of California.

 

[Truck Shop]

Correct, I think all 48 should be the same. I just had to post that Cal Trans info-it will cause some
step'in and fetch'in.

 

[Truck Shop]

Washington rules page 4-30.

https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/publications/manuals/fulltext/M30-39/CVG.pdf

 

[crane operator]

Oversize, overweight, and most of the bales just riding along. No troubles here, we're farming.......

 

[Truck Shop]

Yes indeedy Do. Over width what's that? I can almost see that traffic behind me. Good catch C.O.

 

[crane operator]

The guy ahead of him had a oversize sign on the front bumper- that's enough, then everyone knows they are coming

I mean, who can afford two signs and flags?

 

[Camshawn]

At least the lead truck has a strap on each row of bales......

 

[mitch504]

Not overweight, heavy bales go 1000 lbs, most are actually 7-800 if you weigh them. So, 35000 on the 5-axle, 15000 on 4-axle. I put 46 bales on my flatbed, legal with my single axle tractor.

 

[crane operator]

Not overweight,

I was guessing on weight as I drove past, it looked heavy on the single axle drive of the tractor, but it may just have been how it was loaded.

 

[Spud_Monkey]

While y'all are writing those tickets on the security of the load and over sized without signs might add in improper lighting on the rear of the lead truck. Wonder if the following vehicle has trailer brakes...

 

[Truck Shop]

Actually-really who give's a sh!t it's do what you want anytime anywhere isn't it?

 

[DMiller]

Big rounds in MO 5x6 go close to a ton
EACH
34 ton front trailer minimum
14-15t rear unit

 

[DMiller]

Hay that green is still high moisture
My Allis is rated to lift a ton with the old loader
Lifted trans for Fat Allis grudgingly but struggles to fails many times lifting a tight 5x6 where have to use three point spear

 

[colson04]

Not overweight, heavy bales go 1000 lbs, most are actually 7-800 if you weigh them. So, 35000 on the 5-axle, 15000 on 4-axle. I put 46 bales on my flatbed, legal with my single axle tractor.

Not sure about your hay weights. We make hay around 20% moisture, 4x5 net wrapped. We consistently run 1000 pound average, and if we bale it tougher, they just get heavier. All of our hay gets plastic wrapped so moisture content doesn't matter as much. They just ferment once the oxygen gets consumed from inside the tube.

 

[DMiller]

Renters run a 5x6 Baler, bales come out tighter than Dick's hatband, they stated closer to 1800 lbs. when fresh rolled than not Do not like to waste Wrap making more bales that do not weather well.

 

[colson04]

Renters run a 5x6 Baler, bales come out tighter than Dick's hatband, they stated closer to 1800 lbs. when fresh rolled than not Do not like to waste Wrap making more bales that do not weather well.

We run our baler the same way; as tightly packed as we can get it. Dense bales means less bales to handle, truck, wrap, etc. Just more weight on a truck when hauling them in.

 

[mitch504]

Most of my experience weighing bales is Coastal Bermuda and Bahia grass. My biggest customer and best friend owns a feed store and mill and farms about 350 acres of horse quality hay. In addition to what he grows, he usually buys about 10-12,000 bales a year. A lot of bales (not all, just a sample) get put on his scales in the course of a year.

You will note though, you and I both said 1000 lbs, and that is what I used for my calculations.

I wonder how much less a bale weighs after being in the barn for 6 months?

 

[DMiller]

Considerable less, it is sitting outdoors, fully wrapped drawing moisture and fermenting they gain weight. Uglier part of bigger rounds is the mold, many will be black at center where the cows eat around it, horses will sicken from it.

 

[Willie B]

When I was in my teens I had a friend much older than me, left US Forest Service career to dairy farm in Wisconsin. He was obsessed with protein levels of hay. Found that best availability, and price of top quality hay was in Canada. By 1976 he had bought three cab over IH road tractors & trailers, hired two drivers, and a herdsman. He turned his focus to importing hay. Offered me a job, but at the time CDL required you to be over 21. He talked at length about how much protein was lost if hay gets rained on before it is baled. These were dry, rectangular bales, hauled under tarp, and kept under roof.
As round bales took over, I wondered what the different handling practices did to the quality of the hay.