Stopping at Scales in Iowa

[jacqnbill]

My son in law told me that trucks pulling 5ers must stop at the scales in Iowa and signs are posted at the scales. Anyone have experence or knowledge of this?



Bill

 

[terrywerm]

Haven't been down there with a gooseneck lately, but I just go by what the signs say that they have posted. If it says something that all trucks and combinations must stop, or if it says that pickups pulling trailers must stop, I'll pull in. If they don't want to fiddle with you, they'll kick you loose in a hurry. Now if I was pulling an RV, I wouldn't worry about it - just blow right on by. I don't think they'd waste any time on a pickup pulling a family RV, it's obviously not commercial. A pickup pulling a gooseneck might be commercial, so they'd be more likely to take an interest in it.

 

[jacqnbill]

Haven't been down there with a gooseneck lately, but I just go by what the signs say that they have posted. If it says something that all trucks and combinations must stop, or if it says that pickups pulling trailers must stop, I'll pull in. If they don't want to fiddle with you, they'll kick you loose in a hurry. Now if I was pulling an RV, I wouldn't worry about it - just blow right on by. I don't think they'd waste any time on a pickup pulling a family RV, it's obviously not commercial. A pickup pulling a gooseneck might be commercial, so they'd be more likely to take an interest in it.

Thanks Terry for the info. I will sail by as you suggest.



Bill

 

[MMiller]

For the most part, to date, in Iowa, the scales say "trucks/buses over 10,000# must weight". *IF* *I* were pulling an RV, I would not pull in, just cruise by. When pulling my gooseneck, I'm always hauling my toys, not commercial at all, I just drive by. However I only drive on weekends/evenings, and scales are usually closed. I've not been hassled yet. I'm saving my money though.



With my truck driving experiances, I work very hard at not talking to the guys in blue cop cars(Commercial Vehicle law enforcement), and weigh scales. If they are so inclined they will find something wrong to ticket you on. Just avoid them.



Michael

 

[Nate]

Yeah I do the same. I've never been to Iowa, but other places have the "truck's over 10k pull in". I assumed by trucks they meant commercial trucks.



I mean if I were pulling my trailer (bumper pull) with a Suburban, that's not a truck.

 

[bmoeller]

To my knowledge, only the commercial camper toters are supposed to pull in, but never see them do it. Some states even want the big buses to pull in. IIRC, NE is one of them.

I was in a scale house in IL for an over weight (gross was under 80k, but the cattle shifted and threw me 2400# over on my trailer axles), and a bobtail tractor went in. She yelled at him for wasting her time.

 

[MMiller]

She yelled at him for wasting her time.

Yep, then the trucker will drive past the next scales while bobtailing, and then the officer will fly out, chase him down, and proceed to chew him out for not stopping. Dad pulled into an Iowa scale with his pickup and empty gooseneck, got chewed out for stopping, and later dad drove past the same scales and a different officer pulled him over and chewed him out for not stopping.



Michael

 

[Dieselnerd]

I pull a fiver through Iowa frequently. I've never stopped to weigh and never been stopped either. I have a good friend that lives in Iowa and tows a fifth wheel there all the time, he never stops either.



As far as I am concerned those signs do not apply to RV's.

 

[jacqnbill]

Thanks to all for your replys. I figured as much but I will be pulling 28,500 gross thru Iowa in September and do not wish to contribute to Iowa's economy.



Bill

 

[terrywerm]

One other thing to note, the federal motor carrier regulations do specifically exempt private RV's, so if you are pulling your own RV for recreational travel (regardless of type or size), don't even worry about scales.



It's strange too, how some DOT officers have different opinions about who should stop and who should not. I guess if I got chewed on for stopping with a gooseneck flatbed, I'd request the officer's direction in writing. If he's not willing to put pen to paper, he has no business chewing on anybody.

 

[bmoeller]

Yep, then the trucker will drive past the next scales while bobtailing, and then the officer will fly out, chase him down, and proceed to chew him out for not stopping. Dad pulled into an Iowa scale with his pickup and empty gooseneck, got chewed out for stopping, and later dad drove past the same scales and a different officer pulled him over and chewed him out for not stopping.



Michael

Yep. You just can't win. Everyone interprets the law differently. Or, they just want to be aholes.



I just go around them anymore, if I'm 77k or more, ever since that day I had that problem. Bunch of bull. Wasted 3 hrs of my time for $200. #@$%!#@$%!