Weigh stations are common sights along the sides of highways, but for as common as they are they are often easy to miss. Many times the long line of trucks waiting for their turn on the scale simply don’t exist because the weigh station is closed. So what purpose do weigh stations serve? And why do many of them seem to be closed much of the time?
Weigh stations originally served the purpose of collecting fuel taxes that commercial trucks owed to the states for using their roads. Stations were commonly found near state borders to enforce the tax. Now, the fuel tax is administered via the International Fuel Tax Agreement, which applies to trucking companies that operate in more than one jurisdiction (the international component includes the lower 48 states as well as Canadian provinces, but not territories). Truckers keep a log of their fuel purchases and file a quarterly report. They are taxed on this report and the revenue is distributed among the states where the fuel was purchased.
Now weigh stations are used only to enforce weight restrictions. The federal maximum weight limit is 80,000 pounds, and any truck carrying a load larger than this must obtain a permit, or face a fine at the weigh station.
There are several reasons weigh stations might be closed. A common one is budget shortfalls in states’ Department’s of Transportation. Another is that state police departments are often taking weighing operations into their own hands and going mobile in an effort to catch trucks that dodge weigh stations when they see an “open” sign. In Massachusetts, the state police truck team operates an average of five weigh operations each week, weighing about 100,000 trucks a year and collecting $500,000 in fines.
Evan Transportation was founded in 1992 by Jerry Wolfarth, who at the time had over 25 years of experience in the trucking and transportation industry. The initial operation consisted of a few trucks and drivers who were dedicated and professional. The goal of the company was to provide excellent, dependable service.
If you need materials and products moved in the Mid-Atlantic region, contact Evan Transportation. We hire professional drivers with excellent driving records, and maintain a fleet of trailers and vehicles that are reliable and ready to roll.
Contact us today for all of your freight shipment needs or call us at 443-673-3365
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Sources
http://brokensecrets.com/2010/06/18/what-are-truck-weigh-stations-for/
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2010/10/01/curious-about-weigh-stations-on-mass-highways/