Many states have laws that requires motorhomes over 10,000 pounds to stop at weigh stations. What Not to Pack Inside Your Moving Container. Also consider any large or heavy recreational items, heavy dishware, and any other unnecessary items you could leave behind. The most straightforward answer, dont skip the weigh station. Therefore, the checking and verification of such trucks are necessary. The best way is to check the laws for each state that you'll be traveling to. The more violations found during a level 1 inspection could drag down scores in Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration programs used to rate drivers safety and how often they are inspected. Name: Sheldon. All vehicles with a GVWR greater than 26,000 lbs. Florida: Agricultural, motor vehicles including trailers that are or could be used in the production, manufacture, storage, sale, or transportation of any food product or agricultural, horticultural or livestock product, excepting private passenger automobiles without a trailer, travel trailers, camping trailers, and motor homes must stop; so must commercial vehicles with a GWR over 10,000 lbs, made to transport over 10 passengers, or transporting hazardous materials. 2.) Vermont: Any uniformed officer with reason to believe the weight of a vehicle and its load is unlawful may have the operator stop the vehicle for up to an hour for determining the weight. needs clearance from an office of the DOR, Colorado State Patrol officer, or port of entry weigh station before using it within the state. GVWR must stop., All trucks with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,000 lbs. According to federal law, a loaded truck cannot weigh more than 80,000 pounds. Weigh Station Procedures At weigh stations, there will be several procedures followed to ensure that guidelines are met. 25 Cross Country Moving Tips That Will Save Your Sanity, How to Calculate Fuel Costs When Renting a Moving Truck, 11 Key Things to Know When Renting a Truck or Trailer from U-Haul, How to Save on Your Truck Rental Fuel Costs, An officer may require the measuring or weighing of truck or trailer., Trucks over 10,000 lbs. Once youve returned to the weigh station, the officer could perform a level 1 inspection. A blowout on a highway while traveling even at the posted speed limits can cause significant traffic, bodily injury to the driver and other motorists, and even death. The Top 5 Selling Cars in Connecticut in 2012, Scion Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Car Program, Veteran and Military Driver Laws and Benefits in Massachusetts, Car was barely turning over and would not enough to start. 2022 Iowa: Any peace officer with reason to believe the weight of a vehicle and its load is unlawful can stop the driver and submit the vehicle to weighing at a portable or stationary scale, or require the vehicle to be driven to the nearest public scales. must stop. Aaron and his wife Evelyn have lived on the road since 2017, traveling the country in their Keystone Fuzion. The inspector will examine your seat belt, tail lamps, steering wheel, exhaust system, and everything required for driving safely. Pensacola US-90 Static . All vehicles over 10,000 lbs must stop. This allows you to see how the weight in your RV is distributed, so that you can remain safe on the road and avoid unnecessary expenses. Which States Force Motorhome Owners to Stop at Weigh Stations Alaska Arkansas Georgia Louisiana Massachusetts Nevada Pennsylvania Iowa Illinois Kansas New Hampshire North Carolina Oklahoma Utah Vermont West Virginia Maine Mississippi Texas Unfortunately, the laws are somewhat vague as to whether or not they apply to motorhomes and campers. But in fact, some state laws consider your truck and trailer combination a commercial motor vehicle (CMVs), and you are required to have a CDL when driving. to go through weigh stations. Weigh stations are primarily concerned with the weight and safety of business cargo trucks, not private-use vehicles. When it comes to driving a motorhome or pulling a fifth wheel or travel trailer, it all depends on the GVW. If youre driving through a state that requires non-commercial vehicles weighing over 10,000 lbs. Some states like Colorado raised the weight limit to 26,000 pounds. US-90 (Exit 5) Go To Top. Be courteous and professional. If you require additional assistance, please email your questions to cmvinfo@state.mn.us or call 651-350-2000, Option 1. Neil Dickenson - Minnesota State Patrol at 1131 Mesaba Ave., Duluth, MN 55811. The only exception might be if a truck doesnt pass inspection from a Department of Transportation (DOT) agent because of a flat tire, cracks in the wheels and other reasons. Illegally bypassing a weigh station is never a good idea. (the maximum weight allowed), the truck will be allowed to leave the weigh station and continue on down the highway. The gross weight on a single wheel should not be over 10,500 lbs. They check carriers to ensure they have proper registration, fuel tax, insurance and authority credentials. Truck weigh stations are important because weighing trucks prevents overweight trucks from going onto highways that cannot handle the heavy load. At the end of the day, RV travel is meant to be fun. Yes, you can pull into a weigh station and request to weigh your RV, though it may cost you a small fee to do so. All trucks over 1 ton must stop, except a pickup truck pulling a recreational trailer.. In some states, you may risk losing your CDL; in others, you could be facing jail time. must stop. The . Each state has its own laws determining what vehicles have to stop at weigh stations. This is all common knowledge for those in the fleet industry. These checkpoints, located right off the highway, allow a representative from the states department of transportation or state highway patrol to inspect a vehicle for safety purposes. There are states that require non-commercial vehicles weighing over 10,000 lbs. Join over 10,000 VIP members to get practical, entertaining, and inspiring resources and step by step articles about RV travel Destinations, RV Gear, and full-time RV living to live Stress-Free Life In Your RV. But with no formal training on how to operate an RV, you may encounter some new questions, such as, do RVs have to stop at weight stations? -equipped weigh stations are inactive, both located on Interstate 5 southbound. Either way, it behooves you not to skip the open weigh station; youll avoid heavy fines and law enforcement pulling you over or even getting slapped with that level 1 inspection. likely wont need to stop at a weigh station. Do rental trucks have to stop at weigh stations? The laws for specific vehicles and weights vary by state, according to AAA: Alabama: An officer may require the weighing of a truck or trailer by portable or stationary scales, and can order a truck to scales if within a 5-mile distance. If theres no need for you to stop, the patrol officer will likely wave you through, and the only thing you will have lost is a little bit of time. Understanding what each means will help you determine the approximate weight of your RV at the time of travel. So, weighing the vehicle is the primary goal of the weigh station; however, there is more. Although certain states specifically exclude RVs, most states with a set weight limit do not specify the type of vehicle, which is why its important to know your vehicles approximate GVW as you travel. There are specific state laws on weigh stations. or more must stop., All vehicles with a GVWR in excess of 10,000 lbs. OPERATIONS New Jersey statutes charge the Division of State Police with the enforcement of the size and weight laws. A level 1 inspection, or the North American Standard Inspection, is the most thorough DOT inspection. If youre driving a larger vehicle and think you may need to stop at a weigh station, check the laws in the state(s) youll be driving through. Nebraska According to AAA, Nebraska Law states, "All trucks over 1 ton must stop, except a pickup truck pulling a recreational trailer." Reducing the Weight of Your Vehicle ToAvoid Weighing Stations. In the United States, most states require trucks to stop at all open weigh stations. Asheville (Buncombe County) (Two fixed scales) Phone: 828-667-2820 I-40, approximately 12 miles west of Asheville, N.C. Hillsborough (Orange County, near After all, its better to be safe than sorry. How to choose the right size moving container. must stop. One of the easiest ways to reduce weight is to empty out any unnecessary liquids. Learn how your comment data is processed. The penalties for not stopping at a weigh station vary state by state. 18 Wheels of Steel: Across America is the first 3D animated trucking simulator by SCS Software to feature weigh stations. Mn DOT Seasonal Load Limits Web Site. If youre a commercial truck driver, or even renting a truck to move, you need to pay attention to weigh stations along highways. Not all states accept these programs, so its important to check before driving across state lines. What Is the Gas Mileage of a U-Haul Truck Rental? to stop at a weigh station, youll likely need to pull over when driving rental trucks of these sizes. You can unsubscribe any time. . US 77 AND NE 92 EB WB. I-10: From the Alabama / Florida state line eastbound to the Pensacola Weigh Station (Mile Marker 4). from Furman University.View all posts by Marian White. Exceptions are sometimes granted if the load cannot be broken down and separated. Perhaps you should be driving with Pride Transport. Then make sure the battery cable ends are clean and tight. State of California. 32526 - 2.1 mi. New Jersey: All vehicles 10,001 lbs or more must stop for weighing. If you decide to skip a weigh station, youll likely be fined around $300. Make sure any corrosion is cleaned off them to give Get a fair & transparent quote instantly before booking. Georgia: Agricultural vehicles, passenger or specialty vehicles of 10,000 lbs or more, and commercial trucks exceeding 10,000 lbs must stop at weight and inspection stations. "}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you avoid truck weigh stations? Theyve sought adventure together for 5 years now and have done a lot of international traveling, including RVing in Mexico. Tennessee: Weigh stations are placed across the state for checking federal and state restrictions related to size, weight, safety and driver regulations. While most RV forums will tell you that RVs are hardly ever required to stop at weigh stations, anyone traveling in vehicle that is considerably larger or more equipped than others may consider going straight to the source for answers by calling a local DMV, or by simply stopping at a weigh station and inquiring. Trucks will follow signs for the weigh station and will enter a line of trucks to be weighed. It looks like you have local storage disabled. A Bit of Common Sense and Research Go A Long Way, standard RVs weight in below any weight limits. Items like canned goods, glass bottles and jars, and bulk beverages like soda or beer can all add a significant amount of weight to your RV. Before you retain your lawyer, we'll break it down for you. or more, Trucks over 10,000 lbs. Most states require that any commercial vehicle weighing over 10,000 pounds stop at a weigh station along the interstate. Weigh stations feature truck scales that weigh trucks when parked. GCWR means the maximum allowed weight of a vehicle, its . The original idea was that, because larger and heavier vehicles put a significantly higher amount of stress on roads than personal vehicles, they would get taxed according to their weight to help fix the damages they bring about. Each state has its own laws regarding weigh stations. Before writing for Moving.com, Marian authored Moving to Palm Beach County: The Un-Tourist Guide, a relocation guide for moving to the Palm Beaches. Most states require that any commercial vehicle weighing over 10,000 pounds stop at a weigh station along the interstate. If a truck is over the regulated weight limit, it could cause irreparable damage to the highway. The primary purpose of the stations is to enforce truck weight regulations in order to protect roads and bridges from excessive wear and tear caused by overweight trucks. Maryland: State police maintain 7 weighing and measuring stations with one station on Interstate 95 where agricultural and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs must stop, as well as commercial buses carrying over 16 passengers and any hazardous material haulers with placards. For Class C motorhomes, the Winnebago Boldt 70KL takes the win as heaviest RV. For many, this typically means renting a moving truck from a truck rental company such as U-Haul, Budget or Penske. Exception: recreational vehicles used for personal, recreational purposes., All commercial vehicles over 5 tons (10,000 lbs) are required to cross the scales if the weigh station is open in Ohio.. Below is a summary of the rules and laws surrounding trucks and weigh stations, according to the AAA Digest of Motor Lawsand the states department of transportation. While it is important to be well informed about your vehicle and your routes, it is also often best to learn as you go. A weigh station is a checkpoint along a highway to inspect vehicular weights. must stop. Does My Moving Truck Need to Stop at a Weigh Station? Typically, trucks that weigh over 10,000 pounds will be required to stop at a weigh station. Connecticut: All commercial vehicles regardless of weight are required to stop. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or GVWR, tells you the maximum capacity that your RV is recommended to carry. The worst-case scenario could leave you with a fine, but this is highly unlikely in most situations. If you want to reduce the GVW of your RV, there are several ways to lighten the load. What States Require RVs To Stop At Weigh Stations? Disabled veteran registration and driver license fee Truck driving jobs are for local delivery truck drivers or big rig heavy duty truck drivers, which require a commercial drivers' license (CDL). Drivers will know from the start whether their vehicles meet requirements along these routes. Nowadays, weigh stations act as checkpoints for weight restrictions and safety inspections. If conditions become unfavorable, heavy rain, snow, dense traffic, vehicle control becomes even more difficult. Most states require that trucks weighing 10,000 pounds or more must stop at all weigh stations. States may also locate weigh stations in the interior of the state. If the vehicle is overweight, he officer may stop the vehicle until enough of the load is removed to bring the GVW down to an acceptable limit. They ensure the safety of both the trucks and other vehicles on the road by making sure the weight a vehicle carries doesnt damage the vehicle, the road itself, or cause an accident. Needless to say, this is a time-consuming process that is easily avoided by not skipping the weigh station. The language of these laws can be vague. Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Keep in mind, though, that your rental truck may not exceed the weight limit.