Question:
Ok Illinois can keep there greedy freaking DOT officers and all. I have had enough of trying to figure out what I should have or shouldn't have done.
So I will swallow my pride of never being DOT'd or stopped for speeding and tell you all what happened. On Hwy 52/24 I was stopped at scales because I was 3500 lbs over on my trailer. I picked up the load in Manteno, Il at 4 T's
Management aka M and M Mars. 4 T's have no private scales and the closest Cat Scales are at exit 335 (Pilot and Petro).
In order for me to go there personally, I would have to cross the Illinois DOT scales on I57 between mp 327 and 335. I moved my tandems to the Georgia bridge law and proceeded. I thought no way would they overload me. I was wrong, I should have known....... Even looking in the trailer was a nono. Both trailer doors and peep hole were sealed.
The Citation was a nice lump sum of $343.00. Here is the problem, I called safety and told the lady what the deal was. Safety was gone for the day and whoever answered was a doofball. I know Monday I am calling again, but do you think they will listen to reason. It's hard to explain situations over the phone, so I jotted down on a piece of paper what happened. I figured I would call and also send that in with the citation. Hopefully it will cover my a$$ in some way.
Maybe I am wishful thinking, but was there a alternative solution in this matter?
Yes I could have jumped here, turned here and dodged the scales, but a hour before the scales on Hwy 52/24 were closed.
Sour Mash......
P.S. I'm losing my mind!!!Sweet Whiskey

Answer:
The only mistakes you made were........
#1. Assuming they wouldn't overload the trailer.
#2. Not finding a CAT scale or other certified scale.
You should've been able to tell if you were heavy just by the way it pulled when you first started moving (this comes with a little experience).
Always look at the B/L for product weight or ask the forklift driver what each pallet weighs. He/she should be able to give you a rough idea..
If I pick up a preloaded trailer, the first thing I do is find a scale.
If there is no CAT scale or other certified scale around, ask if there is any large moving company nearby. They usually have a scale that can be used by the general public, for a small fee of course.
Rule #1.........NEVER TRUST A SHIPPER!
Hope the company helps you out on this one, but I wouldn't hold your breath if I was you.

Answer:
Gee, air suspension load guages don't cost much and are quite easy to install. At least!!! put one on your tractor.
You didn't say how much you were over? even half a ton would show up on your tractor guage as being wrong, unless your trl t/a was too far forward. The cost of your fine might have paid for the kit, I don't what they cost exactly.
Ta Hell with finding a scale, an air guage in the cab, one on each trl; I'm plus or minus 250kg consistently on a B train grossing 62.5mt, depending on how level the terrain is when I'm loading.
Answer:
Farmer Joe, while you are 100% correct about the use of air pressure guages on the suspension most/many carriers refuse to install them on company owned units. The other issue would be having to train some of the brain dead drivers that we share the road with. as to their useage. Lots of steering wheel holders can't even tie their boots!

Answer:
Farmer Joe, Sweet Whiskey drives a company truck (probably no suspension air gauge), and switches trailers quite often. That's why I said to go find a scale. The company will at least reemburse the scale fees.

Answer:
While I've had a few 'pucker moments' with scales (including a BOL on a pre-loaded trailer that said Item = 1, Weight = 24,000), I note the following from the '03 Nat'l Truck Stop Directory:
Gilman, IL -- CAT scale at K&H Truck Plaza, I-57 exit 283 (US 24).

Answer:
I-57 & HWY 24, EXIT 283 cat scale
United Van Lines agent in kankakee,they probably have a scale.
American Moving and Storage Association - Our brand new 2003 AMSA Scale Directory is now available ... for the 2003 AMSA Scale Directory is $15 for AMSA ... email at sha@moving.org. Scale Directory Order Form for ...
http://www.promover.org/about/scalemg18.htm
If your company won't pay it,pay the thing and move on with life,it is part of trucking paying for mistakes.It sucks,but comes with the job.
It's part of the wonderfull challange of the job
Answer:
Sometimes you have to go out of your way to scale a load and avoid the scale houses. It sucks big time, but that is the way it is. I know the 283 exit was quite a ways south of where you picked up (40 miles or so) but that beats the heck out of what happened.
In my opinion your only real error was trusting the shipper. Hope you learned something from all this, and I hope you can get someone else to cover the fine, but since you didnt get it weighed I wouldnt hold my breath.
Answer:
The company should pay and charge back to the shipper.
You picked up a preloaded and sealed trailer even if the freight bills listed the product weight you can't know the tare weight of every trailer.
A preloaded and sealed trailer should be the shippers dollars not yours.

Answer:
Hello Michael, I know we make fun of the Newbies (hey we all went through it at one time), but no body is that dumb or at least almost nobody.
Do you have a load guage Hoss? if not, why not?
Before the laptop, X box, surveillance camera equip, tv/vcr, ect., of the mandatory tools for the job, an air load guage should be one of those things. Company trk or not!
It's likely the out door fluid filled air guage would a $100 or two plus hose and fittings, mount it on the chassis behind the sleeper or where ever out of the way. A couple of bolts and fittings - can be easily moved to your next "assigned" tractor.
Scale out 10 - 20 times, make a note gvw/psi, where's your trl t/a positioned, preferably all the way back for guage accuracy, + or - 500 lbs, DOT isn't going to write you up for more than warning, if that. It's foolproof, come on???!
40 miles to a scale? -> that's two hrs lost from your day, not to mention possible waiting time to use it when you get there.
Answer:
u-turn is correct. By that i mean if you had to drive 40 miles out of route it would have saved you.
Such as this is what peevs me with the weight law.
Shippers knowingly overload trucks if they can get away with it.
Carriers incourage overweight if you don`t get caught. (I still have a Fl. & Ga. map that was given to me by a large carrier in n. Fl. showing how to go around the scales).
But don`t forget ...it`s the driver`s fault.
In FL. the interstate bridge is shorter than secondary roads, because of possible damage to the interstate, but if you pay 35.00 a year for a bridge permit. no problem, hell, go ahead and damage the big road.
Perhaps this is just another tax?
I recieved a weight ticket about 5 miles from a mine where i scaled out to legal gross.
Tough $h!t, driver, it is your fault.
The weight law should be changed in order to place blame on shippers and carriers
Revenue? humm, let`s see.
In Fl. if i am caught overweight in Key West, Fl. and as long as i am not 6000# over, i can continue to my destination anywhere in the state, which could be up to app. 550 miles, after the fine.
Is this law to help the driver or the shipper?
Let`s figure, the shipper still recieves full payment for the load and the driver pays the fine.
As i stated i recieve a weight ticket after being scaled out at a mine that has a state certified scale but it is my fault.
Driver, your co. may pay the fine, but it will be deducted from your pay.
Remember, it is all ypur responsibility. Yea Right!
Big

Answer:
If you take a job driving a truck,getting tickets come with the job,thats what you get paid premium wages for,it's has risk connected to it.
what does the average driver get,maybe one ticket every few years,throw a quarter in a cup everyday and you have a ticket fund.
25 years,I paid about $300.00 in tickets or .03 cents per day
Answer:

Yes FJ, I do have a suspension air gauge in my truck. I use it almost 'religously'.
As I pointed out, Sweet Whiskey probably does NOT have a suspension air gauge. She didn't buy her truck, some dipshit that drives a desk said, "Hey! This will work for us." and saved the company "X" amount of bucks.
Like I said, Sweet Whiskey only made 2 mistakes. Those mistakes are common, whether a newbie driver or a seasoned driver.

Answer:
Since we are on the subject:
Running overweight is becoming a bigger and bigger No-No even if you can get it in writing that the carrier or shipper or whoever will pay any and all fines if you are caught because some states have and others are considering making running overweight (be it gross or axle) a moving violation.
Answer:
While I do appreciate all the replies. I have to agree a air suspension gauge is a nifty gadget to have. I have seen them on the new Internationals. They seem to be fairly accurate too. I believe I will wait for a new truck, my own truck or somoene elses truck to get one.
I did make the mistake of not going 90 miles all together to get scaled out. The last time I picked up at 4 T's, I called my company and told them the deal. Whoever answered the phone said to put it at the Georgia bridge law and go to exit 335. Luckily, the scales just closed right before I got to them. I have a bad feeling that they would have told me to go to that Pilot anyways.
I guess it's one of those times that you, "live and learn." To bad it was 343.00 worth of learning.
It also seems like lack of communication from qualcomm to company. I noticed that if I mention something over the qualcomm, five minutes later I have to phone my fm just so she understands what I am saying. These online qc gadgets suck, if you want to know my opinion. Bad thing is, I don't like bugging here at any given moment. To me if I have to call my company, then I must not be doing my job correctly. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
I'll find out Monday on the status of my job, overweight ticket and everything else.
I took my truck in to the yard during my timeoff. Come to find out they didn't do anything to it at all. I have just gone through 3 gallons of coolant and 1 galloon of water. I hate putting water in my truck, but I had no other options at that time.
I suppose after I drop this load off in Conklin, Ny I'll message my fm and tell her to either send me to a yard or to a dealer.
Somethings just aren't right.
"You get what you get and you don't throw a fit."
Sweet WhiskeySweet Whiskey