The freight transportation industry continues to develop rapidly. In order to have up-to-date information, it is often important to know the exact weight of your car. Fortunately, it is quite easy to determine it nowadays. Special weight stations help with this. They are becoming more and more popular in the US as the transportation industry demands accuracy and verified information.
Features of modern stations
Initially, the weight was determined on a static balance. Drivers had to drive on them specifically. This is not always convenient, besides it takes a lot of time. But modern stations allow you to quickly solve this problem. Tests demonstrate that the current technology is more rational and profitable in terms of use.
Traditionally, modern weigh stations are located near the checkpoint. As a result, all procedures take place at a logical stop. The driver gets the opportunity to rest a bit due to HOS rules while the weighing procedure is underway.
Designation of weigh stations
In general, the main purpose of weigh stations is quite clear. They help determine the weight of cars. There are restrictions on many routes. Based on the received information, the best route will be selected for your vehicle. If there are inconsistencies between the declared weight and the real one, this will be clarified as quickly as possible. There is no way to cheat the system, and there is no need for it.
In addition, weigh stations are used for:
- Preventing cars from entering prohibited areas. If this is not done, there is a possibility that the asphalt will quickly become unusable. Therefore, such devices help to perform a controlling function.
- Payment of taxes. Some items are subject to an additional fee. The tax amount can be determined by weighing. Based on the results, an invoice is created. Therefore, such devices are being introduced more and more, especially because of the growing popularity of cargo transportation.
- Ability to determine the exact weight of the car. This allows you to make sure that the transportation meets safety standards.
Drivers who work on trucks have to deal with such a procedure all the time. Yes, it is not pleasant, but its implementation guarantees the transparency and correctness of all operations.
How are cars weighed at stations?
Traditionally, weigh stations are located at borders. This is because different regions have different weight requirements. Inspectors supervise the weighing procedure. Based on the received information, they decide what the next route of your car will be.
As for the types of stations, 2 key varieties can be distinguished. The first is portable. They are usually used in places where there is not enough space to install a weigh station. They can be moved to allow the procedure to be carried out in full accordance with the established requirements. The second type is stationary. These are the ones most often used at borders. They can be located near the stations where experts carry out weighing. Only after such a check does the driver have the right to go on.
In general, it is reasonable to use such devices for cars weighing more than 10,000 pounds. If a violation was detected, the inspector has the right to stop your vehicle and prohibit further movement for it.
If there are no problems, the driver gets a special ticket. He can demonstrate it when moving around the country. We also note that in some cases the driver determines whether he needs to call at the weigh stations for himself. To do this, you can use applications and indicator lights.
Thus, it is quite difficult to imagine modern cargo transportation without weight stations. Therefore, drivers use them regularly. In general, if everything is registered correctly, there will definitely not be any problems when going through the procedures, which you can easily see for yourself if you are involved in the transportation industry.
