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Weigh Station Scale Pages by State

State Weigh Station Information and DOT Policies

Alabama Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Alabama has only one physical weigh station of the traditional type. But they have several other non-traditional scales. These are weigh-in-motion plates in the road. Off to the side of the freeway you will see a building that looks like a shack. The officer will be watching and knows which truck was being weighed and will pull out and pull you over on an off-ramp.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Alabama still must enter the open weigh station if they have an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load, livestock load, bulk fuel load, or agricultural load.

The Alabama fuel tax rate is $0.212 per gallon of diesel. Alabama’s fuel tax includes a $0.02 per gallon inspection fee. Cities and counties may also tax the fuel sold in their areas- anywhere from $0.005 to $0.06 per gallon of diesel fuel.

Arizona Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
All commercial vehicles over 1 ton (2000 lbs) must enter the Arizona weigh stations if they are open. A commercial vehicle that is less than 1 ton is not required to enter. All vehicles over 10,000 lbs are required to enter the Arizona weigh station.

Arizona has put up lighted signs at the weigh station exit ramps. The scale signs are on the side of the freeway when you approach one of the port of entry stations. They will light up as the trucker goes by to say either TRUCK OK TO BYPASS or TRUCK MUST EXIT TO WEIGH STATION.

Arizona port of entry weigh stations also use PrePass transponders. The smaller stations do not use this. We have found that whatever we get on the PrePass transponder is generally the opposite of whatever the lighted sign says to do. Prepass brochures say that truckers are supposed to follow the in-cab signal on their transponder regardless of what the road sign weigh station sign says.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Arizona still must enter an open weigh station if they are carrying a oversize/overweight (unless Class E permit) load, placarded hazmat or hazwaste load, fuel import load, agricultural load, or livestock load.

Truckers planning to get to Phoenix early and park for the night may be in for a big surprise. The truck stops tend to stay full all day- if you’re lucky enough to find a free parking spot, don’t give it up until you’re ready to move on- even the paid parking at Danny’s Big Rig Resort tend to stay full.

If you are heading from Phoenix to Las Vegas area, you may want to consider two routes.

One is to go north on I 17 out of Phoenix to the Carefree Highway west. You’ll take that out and follow route 74 west to route 60 west. In Wickenburg, you’ll follow route 93 up to I 40 west to Kingman. Out of Kingman, you’ll take 93 north, but only as far as route 68. Tractor-trailer trucks are no longer allowed to cross over the Hoover Dam on route 93. You’ll take 68 west over into Nevada (the road turns into route 163) to route 95 north. If you go this way, be sure to stop in Wikieup, AZ, for some good fixin’s at Joe’s BBQ- we hear they serve ‘em up good.

Another route to consider is taking I 10 west out of Phoenix to the Vicksburg Road exit (exit 45). You’ll go north on Vicksburg Road, cross over route 60 and continue on to route 72. You’ll go west on 72 and cross into California (the road turns into route 62). You will have to cross a California “bug check,” but there is no weigh station there. You will turn right out of the bug check on route 95 north and take that in to Vegas.

Arizona has some notable places to park your truck, take a break and look around.

In Williams, you can park your truck and take a train ride to the Grand Canyon for the day. In Dragoon (exit 318 I 10), there is a Dairy Queen with truck parking that advertises “The Thing.” What is it? Well, we suggest you stop in, pay for a ticket and find out for yourself… Between Flagstaff and Winslow on I 40, there is a massive meteor crater. If you’re looking you can just barely make out the upper edges of the crater from the freeway. They have truck parking and there is an admission charge. And if you’re headed up into Colorado during good weather, we suggest you take route 160 sometime and drive right through Monument Valley, where many of the old western films were shot.

The Arizona fuel tax rate is $0.28 per gallon of diesel. But for use class vehicles weighing more than 26,000 lbs (if you’re in a tractor trailer truck, that means you), the rate is $0.37 per gallon of diesel.

Arkansas Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Arkansas (along with Louisianna and Missouri)used to have some terrible roads. Truckers would jump out into the left lane to try and smooth the ride out (you will see signs on the freeway now saying that this is prohibited). The freeway was in sections and each section would cause the truck to jump- it was a constantly bumpy ride. Truckers would joke that they needed to pull over at the state line to tie down their belongings to keep them from banging around. In recent years, Arkansas has fixed a lot of the roadways.

Arkansas only requires commercial vehicles to cross their scales. This means rental trucks are off the hook- but the officers in the weigh station have no way of knowing who is using a rental truck for commercial purposes and who is using one for personal use. So, if the officer sees a rental truck drive past the scale, the officer may choose to chase the truck down and make sure it’s not a commercial vehicle in disguise. Arkansas DOT suggests that all rental trucks go ahead and pull into the weigh stations to avoid a roadside check.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Arkansas must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight load (even permitted loads) or placarded hazmat or hazwaste load.

The Arkansas fuel tax rate is $0.228 per gallong of diesel.

California Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
WARNING! We’ve had reports of officers ticketing sleeping drivers for idling their trucks at truck stops- most recently truck stops in the Fresno area. Watch out! Thanks, Mike D., for the latest update!

Many California weigh station locations have signs on the roadway leading up to them that rental and delivery trucks must enter open weigh stations.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in California must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load except LCVs operating with an annual permit that receive a green light. They must also enter an open weigh station if they are operating on a temporary permit to haul hazardous waste/materials.

Weigh stations in California seem to close if the officers realize the ramps are full. Maybe they monitor the cb- it often seems that when drivers start complaining about it, they close the scales. If youâ€™re lucky, youâ€™ll be the one driving by. California weigh stations take quite a bit of time to cross- the speed limits are low and the weighing is slow. They do have a lane dedicated to empty trucks to cut down on the back up, but they still weigh them- this isnâ€™t the honor system.

No one is relaxed when entering a California weigh station. Several weigh stations have a lot of inspection bays and a lot of officers performing inspections, but even the weigh stations with small facilities perform inspections. The Banning weigh station used to sell t-shirts saying I SURVIVED THE BANNING SCALES. The weigh station itself didn’t profit from the sales. They profited a police club.

If you have a spread axle or tri-axle trailer with more than 8 feet from the center of the first axle to the center of the rear axle, you can have a trailer axle weight up to 42,000. Except in California. California rounds to the nearest whole number. So if you have 8 feet 5 inches, they round the distance up to 9 feet and you’re good to haul the weight. But if you have 8 feet 4 inches, they round down and you’re limited to 34,000. They do not always check the distance- but they do sometimes check it. Be aware.

California (along with Oregon and Washington) issues CVSA stickers for trucks and trailers that have passed inspections. The stickers are color coded and have cut-outs on the corners. This system allows a DOT officer to look at your windshield and know at a glance if youâ€™ve passed an inspection and when.

Diesel sold in California is often referred to as “California Gold.” The fuel prices in California have historically been much higher than in the surrounding states. In the past several years, the surrounding states have been giving California a run for their money on having the highest fuel prices.

It’s a good idea to check fuel prices online and decide where you are going to buy ahead of time. Historically, truckers have found that fuel is cheaper in Ripon, Barstow or Bakersfield and more expensive at the truck stops in Ontario, San Diego, San Francisco and along route 101. Things change daily, so basing your decisions on what has “historically” been the case does not always work out.

If you’re looking for a lot of excitement at a truck stop, plan to stay over at one of the Ontario truckstops, south west of the I 10, I 15 junction. There are two T.A. truck stops there. The one on the west side of Milliken Avenue has a reputation for being slightly more wild than the one on the east side. Plan to pay for parking if you don’t buy fuel, shop service or items from the store.

If you prefer a less expensive and less dramatic truck stop experience, plan to park in Barstow at Lenwood road or in Wheeler Ridge (just north of the Grapevine, south of the junction of I 5 and route 99). Both locations have services for 18 wheelers- truck washes, fueling, repair, tire and maintenance shops, and personal services.

The California fuel tax rate is $0.476 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes a 6% state sales tax and a 1.25% county tax.

Colorado Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
There are on average about 42 people per square mile of Colorado’s 103,718 square miles. Given the high population in metropolitan areas from Littleton up to Fort Collins, that leaves a lot of open space elsewhere.

The Rocky Mountains start fairly abruptly west of I 25. From that point on, you’d better be sure your brakes are adjusted properly and hope you have a jake brake to hold you back. Uphill, downhill, and around the bend- driving across the Rockies can be a challenge for truckers.

Taking I 70 west out of Denver is a challenge, but it is one of the most beautiful sections of interstate anywhere in the States. Just past Golden, truckers will have to pull a steep grade going up into the start of the mountains. Everything to the east of them was flat in comparison to this hill and what lies to the west.
The Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel sit’s about halfway through the mountain range. This tunnel has a height limit of 13’6″. That is the height most 18 wheelers are, but some are taller. Trucks taller than
13’6″ must take route 6 and cross the Loveland Pass to go around the Eisenhower tunnel. The tunnel has a full time attendant in a booth on the eastbound side and on the westbound side. If an over-height truck approaches the bridge, it will set of sensors that hang over the roadway. The sensors will set off warning signs and eventually flashing lights and sirens to get the trucker to pull over into the inspection area. The attendant will run across the freeway (the booth is located in the center median) and use a height stick to measure height and determine if the trucker can continue through the tunnel or if he must turn around. In winter, many truckers will have snow and ice built up on their trucks and trailers that will set off the alarms. They either have to knock it off or turn around.

The mountain terrain stretches for roughly 100 miles from Denver to Eagle. West of the mountains are the gorges and hot springs. Glenwood Canyon is just east of Glenwood Springs. The canyon has elevated sections of freeway that were a feat of engineering to design and build. There are several rest areas through Glenwood Canyon- none with sufficient truck parking. Truckers can park along car parking spaces or in the limited truck and rv parking in one of the rest areas. Stopping in one of the rest areas is a must if you’ve never done it. These rest areas are right along the river where dozens of white water rafters float by. They have a pathway that goes along the length of the canyon and you can get out, stretch your legs, and enjoy nature.

The Colorado fuel tax rate is $0.205 per gallon of diesel.

Connecticut Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Connecticut weigh stations have signs stating that all trucks and commercial vehicles must stop at scales when they are open.

Connecticut means congestion. Anywhere west or south of Hartford is just, simply GOING to have a lot of traffic. From the New York City traffic (all the way from I 95 at the New York border up to where I 91 turns north in New Haven), to Connecticut traffic- Hartford, Waterford, Danbury, Greenwich… there’s a lot of commuters and travelers on those freeways. But once you get past all that, Connecticut is really quite calm.

Once you get past New Haven on I 95, you’re not likely to have a back up- unless there is a wreck or construction. Traffic, yes. But the traffic is nothing like what goes on south of there.

There is a popular indian casino on I 395 in eastern Connecticut. The Mohegan Sun is a major attraction. Located off exit 79 A on I 395, the casino has plenty of parking and we’ve never experienced a problem getting in, out or parking there. From gambling, to dining to concerts, the Mohegan Sun can be a nice distraction from the sometimes difficult driving you’ll find in New England. To contact the Mohegan Sun, call 888-226-7711.

Another place to check out is the Golden Age of Trucking Museum in Middlebury, Connecticut. The trucking museum features trucks from the early 1900s through 1974. It is located off I 84 at exit 16. From east bound I 84 turn left, from west bound I 84 turn right. Go past the Mobil gas station and the hotel and you’ll see the first entrance to the trucking museum on the right. You can enter through the first entrance but we suggest using the next entrance. There is room for 5 to 7 trucks to park and visit the trucking history museum. For information, contact the museum at 203-577-2181.

The Connecticut fuel tax rate is $0.37 per gallon of diesel. Connecticut used to impose a gross receipts earnings tax on gasoline sold at the the wholesale level that was eliminated in 2007. They, instead, increased the excise tax an additional $0.11 per gallon of diesel.

Delaware Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Delaware currently only has one weigh station but there are plans to build a second weigh station on route 301 in the area of Middletown. Delaware relies on two portable enforcement units- each carrying 8 scales- to spot check truckers in high traffic areas throughout the state.

The Delaware fuel tax rate is $0.22 per gallon of diesel fuel.

Florida Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Florida weigh stations are modern wonders. They have a sophisticated weigh-in-motion system that letâ€™s you fly through them (unless, of course, you are overweight or one of the lucky few to be chosen for a random inspection). They use PrePass. If you donâ€™t have PrePass or if you get the red light, you are likely to get the arrow for the bypass lane where the speed limit is usually 35 mph or even 45 mph. If you are directed to the static scale (where you have to stop to be weighed), their computers inform the officers inside what your exact weights- gross and axle- are.

Florida truck scales also generally have driver facilities including bathroom facilities and pay phones- Florida DOT says some of these facilities have showers available. They call them “comfort stations,” though we don’t know any drivers who are truly comfortable when parked in a weigh station.

According to Florida DOT, drivers who park in the weigh stations will NOT be hassled in any way. A driver can park without having to worry that a DOT officer is going to ask for his logbook or perform a vehicle inspection on his truck when he gets up. If, however, an officer notices an obvious violation- such as a flat tire or cracked rim, the driver will be notified after he gets up and will need to have repairs made.

All commercial vehicles are required to cross the weigh stations in Florida- no matter how small the vehicle is. Anyone renting a truck for personal use is not required to cross the scales, but the weigh masters suggest that rental trucks go ahead and exit at the weigh stations. The scale masters can’t tell whether a rental truck is being used commercially or not, so they may chase down a rental truck that passes by the scale without stopping. Generally, a rental truck that obeys the weigh station speed limit will be directed into the bypass lanes and return to the freeway.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Florida must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

In addition to weigh stations, Florida uses Agricultural Inspection Stations. These are normally a few miles before or after the weigh stations. Drivers with PrePass can be set up for preclearance (though you are required to stop if you have agriculture on- even if you get the green light).

If you do get pulled in to an agricultural check point, they will ask to see your bills or they will ask what you are hauling and where you came from. Depending on your answer they may choose to inspect your load to be sure you don’t have any contaminants that will affect Florida’s produce and exports.

All rental trucks and vehicles with trailers are required to pull into the agricultural inspections. Vehicles entering Florida will be prohibited from transporting citrus plants but other types of plants are allowed. Florida will require anyone transporting plants or livestock to fill out forms at the agricultural inspection. Florida will send inspectors to the final destination marked on the forms to inspect produce plants.

Florida is considered one of the most desirable destinations in the entire United States. Unfortunately for trucker, there isn’t much truck parking in any of the desirable locations! If you go to the Florida Keys, you should be able to find pull out areas to park. Other than that, you will have to find parking and take a cab to most of Florida’s vacation destinations. In many parts of the Florida coast line, trucks over a certain length are not allowed to park- and the length limit is far less than the average tractor trailer truck!

There are some interesting roads truckers can travel, however. The most notable is I 75 along the southern edge of Florida. Though I 75 is a north and south bound freeway, it runs directly east and west across Alligator Alley. This toll road has various rest areas and recreational parking areas where truckers can park without having to worry if there will be enough space. Along Alligator Alley, you can see alligators in the waterways alongside the freeway. It’s a bad idea to take your dog for a walk if there is water nearby along this stretch of roadway.

The Florida fuel tax rate is $0.29 per gallon of diesel fuel. Local and county governments can levy additional fuel taxes in their areas.

Georgia Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Until recently, PrePass users could only get a red light in Georgia. That’s because Georgia was one of a handfull of states whose weigh stations had transponders that used Norpass rather than PrePass. Now most Georgia scales can give the green light to PrePass transponders. That doesn’t mean you’ll get the green light- that still depends on your company’s safety rating with DOT and the weigh station’s random pull-in rate. But if you do get the green light, ride on. You didn’t get away with anything and they won’t be coming after you to pull you over for running the scales.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Georgia must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

The Georgia fuel tax rate is $0.282 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes a 4% sales tax. The fuel tax rate varies based on local option sales tax figures that are published every 6 months.

Idaho Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Idaho weigh stations were a part of the PrePass network, but, thanks to “Big Yellower” for letting us know that they’re back to being a non-Prepass state. Trucks using the Norpass transponder system may receive a signal to bypass but Prepass trucks will always have to pull in for now.

Trucks 26,001 lbs and over (registered weight) must enter Idaho weigh stations. Livestock and Hazmat loads over 10,000 lbs must also weigh- even if they are less than 26,000 lbs.

The weigh stations just east of Boise are fairly modern. The east bound side has a large inspection bay. Other weigh stations in the state are not so modern, to say the least. Most Idaho weigh stations are nothing more than a small building with an axle scale out front.

A note to the novice- DO NOT attempt to travel from Lewiston to Boise on route 95 or 55 if you have a 53 foot trailer- you’re not allowed. To run the Idaho state routes, you have to buy a permit. Once you buy the permit, you can use their formula to determine which routes you are allowed to run. If you have a 53 foot trailer, you won’t be allowed to run routes 95 or 55, so save yourself the headache. The way truckers tell it, if you are headed southbound, you may make it past the scales in Lewiston with no problem. But down the road a ways, an officer will be waiting for you and you will be ticketed and towed out of the state. They don’t play.

The Idaho fuel tax rate is $0.25 per gallon of diesel fuel.

Illinois Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Illinois has signs on the freeway that say all trucks over 8 tons must weigh at the truck weigh stations.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Illinois must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

Illinois was a split speed limit state until 2009, with a 65 mph limit for cars and a 55 mph limit for trucks. But now cars and trucks have equal speed limits.

You’ll see a lot of bears rolling around, too. And most times no one says anything on the radio about them. There used to be a bear who patrolled a stretch of I 70 and who would get on the cb radio and announce himself. Someone would ask, “where’s that bear at?” and he would respond, “I’m right here, in the white car with the yellow strip and the lights.” He was a nice guy and wouldn’t give you a ticket unless you REALLY deserved one- but he WOULD tell you to slow it down.

Chicago, Illinois, may be a nice place to visit if you’re on vacation, but for truckers it can be a real nightmare. Low bridges, unbelieveable traffic, construction, and toll roads all combine to make for a real 18-wheeler headache. Truckers who want truck-friendly routing to their Chicago destination can call 312-744-6460 for help.

The Illinois fuel tax rate is $0.413 per gallon of diesel fuel. This includes a 6.25% sales tax. Local governments can levy additional taxes. The city of Chicago levies an additional $0.1275 tax.

Indiana Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
All trucks are required to enter an Indiana weigh station if it’s open. This includes pickup trucks with trailers and rental trucks of all sizes and weights.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Indiana must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

Indiana is a split speed limit state. Trucks traveling in Indiana are limited to 65 mph while cars are allowed 70 mph. There is current controversy surrounding the Indiana toll roads. It’s possible the toll roads will be sold to foreign investors, but the final decisions and deals have yet to be made.

If you get a ticket for not having a logbook or for having an inadequate logbook in Indiana, it will cost you $199.00. If you ticket for not wearing a seat belt, it will cost you $120.00.

Indiana state police are required by Indiana Code 9-20-17-1 to make at least 25 weight checks per officer per week.

The Indiana fuel tax rate is $0.448 per gallon of diesel. This includes a 6% sales tax and penny per gallon inspection fee. Indiana has a $0.11 per gallon surcharge on diesel that is paid quarterly on a self-reporting basis.

Iowa Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Iowa must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

Walcott, Iowa, is a trucker vacation destination. Okay, maybe it’s not a vacation destination, but there are plenty of truckers who plan on stopping in Walcott.

Walcott is home to the “World’s Largest Truck Stop” according to the Iowa 80 truck stop- now a T.A. travelcenter. The truck stop has one of the largest in-stock chrome shops in the country. There is a truck shop and truck was on the premises. The Iowa 80 has a Trucking Hall of Fame adjacent to it- a 21,000 some foot warehouse with almost 30 antique trucks on display.

Each year, the truck stop holds the Iowa 80 Trucker’s Jamboree- a truck show with exhibitors and show truck contest. In 2006, there were more than 200 antique trucks on display for the event and more than 30,000 people came to experience it! In 2007, the Iowa 80 Trucker’s Jamboree is scheduled for July 12-13. To contact the Iowa 80 truck stop, call 866-4IOWA80. It is located off I 80 at exit 284, just west of the Quad-Cities in Iowa.

The CAT scale company headquarters is located near the Iowa 80 truck stop in Walcott, also. CAT scale has a reputation for being the most widespread, the most reliable, and the easiest to acess of all truck stop weighing scales.

Not too far from Walcott is the town of Riverside, Iowa. Known to Star Trek fans as “the future home of Captain James T. Kirk,” Riverside was the site for a recent miniseries starring William Shatner. The show followed Shatner’s film crew through the filming of a fake movie- one the town’s residents and the locals who were picked to star in the movie didn’t know was fake. Sounds dumb, but anyone with a twisted sense of humor who watched the show from the beginning got a lot of laughs out of it. The series, called Invasion Iowa, is not available on DVD but it can be found online for (legal and paid for) downloads.

Truckers traveling I 80 around exit 225 will see signs for “The Amana Colonies.” This is a group of 7 villages that were founded as a religious commune. The villages were designed by the original settlers to mirror 19th century German villages. These are not Amish communities and they are no longer communal. For generations, the townspeople shared their earnings, but in 1932, the Amana Colonies stopped living as a commune.

The highest point in Iowa is located in the north west corner of the state on route 1670 at Hawkeye Point.

The Iowa fuel tax rate is $0.235 per gallon of diesel fuel.

Kansas Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Kansas means miles and miles of sunflowers- truly an amazing site if you drive through at the right time of year. People think of Kansas as being flat- but any trucker knows that Kansas is a true up and down state. They aren’t mountains, but if the cruise control isn’t working, it can be a challenge to maintain speed.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Kansas must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load except LCVs operating with a KIA permit- South Haven site only.

The Kansas fuel tax rate is $0.27 per gallon of diesel fuel. This rate includes a 1 penny per gallon environmental fee.

Kentucky Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
All trucks and commercial vehicles must weigh at Kentucky weigh stations when they are open. There is no minimum weight requirement. All trucks means all trucks- tractor trailer trucks, certainly, but also any smaller trucks. Any rental truck or pickup truck pulling a trailer is required to enter an open Kentucky weigh station.

Kentucky is home to the Mid-America Truck Show- also known as the Louisville Truck Show. 2006 was the 35th anniversary of the event. More than 80,000 people attended the show and there were more than 1,100 exhibits. This year’s Mid-America Truck Show was held March 22-24, 2007. It was held at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Truck parking was available (for the day and overnight). For information on the show, please visit their website at www.truckingshow.com.

Exhibitors at the Louisville Truck Show include many trucking companies, on board weighing systems, tire and wheel manufacturers, chrome shops, trucking magazines and newspapers, trucking associations, truck lighting retailers, custom sleeper manufacturers, repair shops, truck accessory retailers, truck insurance providers, many radio personalities, and all kinds of products to make life on the road easier, and more fun and cost effective!

The truck show also has a show truck contest called the Paul K. Young Memorial Truck Beauty Contest, but better known as the Stars and Stripes event. 2007 marked the 7th year of the Stars and Stripes event. More than 100 trucks compete in 20 different categories.

Each year, the Mid-America truck show features live entertainment from various artists. In the past, performers such as The Beach Boys, Alabama, the Credence Clearwater Band, Kid Rock, Sawyer Brown, and Nickelback have performed free concerts for those attending the truck show.

In addition to trucking shows, Kentucky is famous for horses.

Just outside Lexington is a 1,200 acre park- the Kentucky Horse Park. The park is dedicated to horses- it’s a theme park in that sense. There is a memorial to Man o’ War, the American Saddlebred Museum (the only breed native to Kentucky), and the International Museum of the Horse- featuring the history of the horse from ancient times to today. The horse park boasts almost 50 different breeds of horses. They have a horse-drawn trolley that you can ride for a tour of the park. They also offer horse back riding and pony rides. For more information on the Kentucky Horse Park, call 859-233-4303 or 800-678-8813.

In addition to horses, Kentucky is famous for Corvettes.

The National Corvette Museum is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at 350 Corvette Drive. It’s right down the street from the factory. People buying a new Corvette can arrange to pick their new Corvette up right at the museum and drive it home themselves (or trailer it). The museum holds many raffles on Corvettes.

There is definitely truck access to the museum but actual parking is limited. There is no nearby truck parking so if you’re planning a visit, you may want to call ahead. The number is 800-53-VETTE. They are located off exit 28 on I 65.

The Kentucky fuel tax rate is $0.0155. This is a variable rate. The Kentucky fuel tax rate includes a $0.05 per gallon supplemental highway user tax.

If you have lost or misplaced a traffic citation you received in Kentucky, there are a few things you need to know. The Kentucky State Police does not maintain a database on traffic citations issued. In order to located the information, you may attempt either of the following two alternatives:
A) If you know the county you were in when you received the traffic citation, you may contact the Circuit Clerk of the county for further information regarding your traffic citation.
B) If you are unsure of the county, you must contact the Administrative Office of the Court. They may be contacted during business hours at 502-573-2350.

Louisiana Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Louisiana uses PrePass and lighted signs on the road. They have weigh-in-motion on the freeway and the signs will light up as the truck goes by to say TRUCK MUST EXIT TO WEIGH STATION or TRUCK OK TO BYPASS. I have found that the lighted signs almost always give me the opposite instructions of what my PrePass transponder tells me.

PrePass brochures state that you are supposed to follow the in-cab signals from your transponder no matter what the road sign weigh station signs say.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Louisiana must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

The recent damage and destruction from Hurricane Katrina have changed the landscape of Louisianna. On various roadways you will see the left overs from Katrina’s rage. There are still some locations where shrimp boats and the like are at the edge of roadways- hundreds of feet from any waterways they may have formerly traveled.

Cajuns still compose the local heritage, however. Gumbo and fried alligator are definitely on the menu.

And it seems that the devistation from Katrina has not put a damper on the wild antics surrounding Mardi Gras and other celebrations in the area.

The Louisiana fuel tax rate is $0.20 per gallon of diesel.

Maine Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Maine DOT will set up at toll road entrances and exits and do roadside checks.

The map of Maine makes it look deceptively small. Any trucker who has traveled the length of I 95 in Maine will tell you that it is a large state. You will see signs for moose crossings along the interstate and you may have a sighting of a black bear. Once you get north of Bangor, civilization gets pretty thin. Don’t expect any billboards up that way. Maine DOT officers often drive dark blue Ford pickups and all have their own set of scales.

The Maine fuel tax rate is $0.295 per gallon of diesel. This fuel tax rate includes $0.07 per gallon of diesel for the Coastal and Inland Water Fund and $0.06 per gallon of diesel for the Groundwater Fund.

Maryland Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Maryland weigh stations require all trucks over 5 tons to weigh.

Maryland recently joined the PrePass network- starting with the I 95 south bound Perryville weigh station (I 95 mile marker 93 at the Susquehanna River Bridge). They’ll be converting their other weigh station’s to the PrePass system.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Maryland must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

The Maryland fuel tax rate is $0.243 per gallon of diesel.

Massachusetts Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
There are no marked scales in Massachusetts, but, contrary to what the trucker atlas indicates, there ARE permanent weigh stations. Massachusetts uses unmarked vehicles in traffic enforcement, so be on the lookout.

The Massachusetts fuel tax rate is $0.235 per gallon of diesel.

Michigan Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Michigan has local trucks called Michigan trains. These are covered-wagon trailers that have a seemingly endless number of axles. The purpose is to increase the gross weights each truck can haul but are limited to 48-foot trailers and shorter. For quite some time, Michigan would ticket a tri-axle 53-foot trailer even if the gross weight was 80,000. They have changed this law and now tri-axle 53 footers are allowed. Currently, Michigan is a split speed limit state. Trucks used to be limited to 55 mph in a 70 mph zone for cars. But the law changed on November 9, 2006. Now trucks are restricted to 60 mph maximum while cars are allowed 70 mph.

The Michigan fuel tax rate is $0.359 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes a 6% sales tax and $0.00875 per gallon for an environmental regulation fee for the refined petroleum fund.

Minnesota Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Minnesota is home to the Mall of America- the largest shopping mall in the United States. Located in Bloomington (just south of Minneapolis), it has more than 520 stores, 50 restaurants and an aquarium. Complete that with a roller coaster and a log ride. Oh, and there is no sales tax on clothing in Minnesota, so get your wallet ready! If things haven’t changed, you can park your rig in a lot across the street- but you can’t leave it there after the mall closes.

The Minnesota fuel tax rate is $0.22 per gallon. This rate varies depending on the amount needed to maintain the underground storage tank (UST) cleanup fee fund.

Mississippi Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Florida must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load except manufactured housing haulers approved by MS DOT. Private carriers transporting taxable petroleum products must also enter an open Mississippi weigh station.

The height limitation for Mississippi is 13 ft 6 inches. However, Section 63-5-17 reads:

No person, firm, or corporation of the State of Mississippi, or any subdivision thereof, shall be required to raise, alter, construct, or reconstruct any underpass, wire, pole, trestle, or other structure to permit the passage of any vehicle having a height, unladen, or with a load, in excess of twelve feet and six inches. Full liability for damage to any structure caused by any vehicle having a height in excess of twelve feet six inches, shall be bourne entirely by the motor carrier or operator of the vehicle.

Car haulers beware!

The Mississippi fuel tax rate is $0.188 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes a $0.004 per gallon environmental protection fee. There is an additional $0.03 seawall tax per gallon in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties.

Missouri Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Missouri has 158 Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers around the state running 24 official weigh stations and 24 sets of portables. There are 10 CVE officers who are certified to perform Level VI inspections on vehicles carrying spent nuclear fuel shipments.

All vehicles that have a registered weight of 18,001 pounds or more are required to enter the Missouri weigh stations when they are open. If a vehicle is licensed for 18,000 pounds or less, they do not have to stop. However, police or commercial vehicle enforcement may choose to stop a vehicle with a lower weight rating at their discretion.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Missouri must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

Trucks in Missouri are required to be less than 14 feet tall. They can be up to 15 feet tall if they are traveling exclusively withing commercial zones as defined by Missouri statute 304.190, RSMo.

The maximum weight allowed in Missouri per axle is 20,000 pounds on the interstate and 22,000 pounds on non-interstate roads. The maximum weigh allowed per tandem is 34,000 pounds on the interstate and 36,000 pounds on non-interstate roads. This applies to roads that are not marked with lower weight restrictions.

The home of Shoji in Branson, Missouri! While we may not be able to find truck parking and go see the show- every trucker knows the billboards along I 44. I 44 used to have some of the worst stretches interstate (along with highways in Louisianna and Arkansas) but in recent years, Missouri has really smoothed out the bumps.

The Missouri fuel tax rate is $0.176 per gallon of diesel fuel.

Montana Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
All vehicles except passenger cars and pickup trucks under 14,000 lbs are required to stop at open Montana Weigh Stations. Recreational vehicles are not required to stop unless they are in transit for delivery to a distributor or dealer. Any vehicle that weighs more than 10,000 lbs may be stopped for inspection and weighing at portable scale locations.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Montana must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load, an overwide load (greater than 9 feet wide), an overheight load (greater than 14â€™6â€), or a fuel tanker (loaded or empty).

Donâ€™t mess with Montana when it comes to logs. They are a watch dog state. Our worst DOT experience ever was at the Crow Agency scale. The DOT officer decided he was going to find something wrong- no matter what. When someone scrutinizes your paperwork with that kind of attitude, you can be sure he WILL find something wrong. For the 15-minute discrepancy between a receipt and the log, we had to pay somewhere around $100 on the spot.

Tri-axle trailers with single tires (a total of 6 tires rather than 12 for duals) are only allowed 33,000 lbs in Montana.

The Montana fuel tax rate is $0.286 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes $0.0075 per gallon for the state cleanup fund.

Nebraska Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Trucks that weigh more than 10,000 lbs gross and pickup trucks that are pulling trailers must weigh at Nebraska weigh stations. RVs don’t.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Nebraska must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

Nebraska has a museum that crosses over the I-80 freeway at mile marker 275 called the Archway Museum. There are big fines for travelers who stop to take pictures of the sight. You can take exit number 272 (Great Platte River Road) and go to visit the museum instead.

In western Nebraska, you can visit one of the original Cabella’s stores. These days there are Cabella’s stores popping up everywhere, but for years, truckers would plan a stop in at exit 59 on I 80 in Sidney, Nebraska, to buy outdoor and winter gear. The Sidney, Nebraska, store has ample truck and RV parking.

The Nebraska fuel tax rate is $0.233 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes $0.003 per gallon release prevention fee. Nebraska’s fuel tax rate is variable. It has a base rate of $0.125 per gallon plus a variable rate of $0.10 per gallon. This variable rate was reduced $0.04 per gallon on January 1, 2008.

Nevada Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Truckers who travel the rural areas of Nevada (basically anywhere outside of Reno and Las Vegas) will see a number of ranches- where legalized prostitution is practiced. Many of these establishment will advertise their services on the c.b. radio, touting, “free conversation with no obligation.” They often also offer free meals and showers.

Truckers will find casinos all across the state of Nevada- and almost every casino will allow truck parking. Most truck stops have slot machines and some even have casino tables for card games.

You can spend a lot of money in the casinos- but it can be a nice change from the truck stops. In northeastern Nevada, Wendover has several casinos and a Pilot truck stop with diesel. You can park in the huge truck parking area and take a shuttle to any of the casinos. They also provide a driver’s lounge for the truckers in the truck parking lot with showers and television- and you can sign up to get half-off a buffet meal or a two-for-one buffet for team drivers.

Don’t take Nevada weather for granted when you’re driving. Nevada has several spots where chains may be required on tires in winter. In the summer, a trucker who breaks down will need a lot of water and shade to try to keep cool.

The major population centers are in Las Vegas and the Reno area, so truckers traveling in between or elsewhere will go far and long between services.

You will not find any truck weigh stations marked on the commercial vehicle atlas and we don’t know why that is. According to long-time driver Dave B., it’s because Nevada doesn’t have any official weigh stations. Official or not, though, there are weigh stations in Nevada and truckers shouldn’t assume that they’ll be closed. These weigh stations and check stations are used- Nevada tends to keep them closed for long periods and then run a sort of sting operation and pull in as many truckers for inspections as they can handle at one time.

On Nevada Interstates, truckers can cut loose and run fast. Many areas have the speed limit set at 75 mph. Turn of the c.b., set the cruise control, and git ‘er done! Because once you cross the border into California, you’ll be cut back to 55 mph!

Truckers heading to Las Vegas from southern California on a Friday night or heading to southern California from Las Vegas on a Sunday night (or Monday night of a holiday weekend) will find out just how popular Las Vegas is. I 15 has 2 lanes in each direction on the way except the steep grades- north and south of Bakersfield- where they allow an extra slow vehicle lane. Truckers who are traveling with the Las Vegas weekenders may want to stop at Barstow or at Whiskey Pete’s on the California border to let the traffic pass. It can be very stressful. The four wheelers tend to be in a hurry and will pull stupid tricks to get around us lumbering big rigs!

The Nevada fuel tax rate is $0.286 per gallon of diesel.

New Hampshire Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
New Hampshire welcome centers are also liquor stores. They don’t have much truck parking but they do pack a lot of lager. Apparently, in New Hampshire, the state makes big bucks off the traveling public.

Laconia New Hampshire is home to the only Viper sales dealership in America. Dodge Viper, that is. There are other dealers but only one that sells new Vipers. Laconia is also a winter sports destination. Laconia is located near Lake Winnipesaukee. The lake is covered with snow mobilers during the winter months.

The New Hampshire fuel tax rate is $0.196 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes $0.00125 per gallon for the oil pollution control fund.

New Jersey Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
New Jersey requires all vehicles that weigh 10,001 lbs or more to weigh. So any vehicle weighing 10,000 lbs or less, commercial or not, is not required to enter the open weigh stations.

New Jersey law used to say that you couldnâ€™t get an over gross ticket if you were an out-of-state truck. You could get an over axle only- so if you had a 6 axle combination or a spread axle trailer and you could legally axle weights that were over 80,000 lbs, you wouldn’t get a ticket if you were from out of state. New Jersey has changed that law. Now out-of-state truckers can, indeed, get over gross tickets.

The toll roads over on the east coast can be a bit overwhelming. Bridges, toll ways, thruways and more bridges- it all adds us quickly.

Truckers in New Jersey were not allowed to run state routes with a 53-foot trailer, so it seemed that they were stuck with the toll roads. Recent legal battles have been going on about this ruling and it is no longer written in stone.

There are a few stretches of toll road you can easily avoid.

Coming into New Jersey from Delaware, right as you get to the border you will see signs for I 295 and for the New Jersey Turnpike. The road splits- one fork going to I 295 and one to the turnpike (which is the toll road). Follow the signs for I 295. There are some truck stops that can be accessed from either the turnpike or I 295 off turnpike exit 2 and I 295 exit 2C. Going up I 295, you will come to the junction with route 42. The traffic tends to get backed up here- both because of commuter traffic and because the merging of all the traffic gets confusing for unaware travelers. The road will bring you around a curve to the left and shortly after merging with route 42, you will exit back off to the right to follow I 295 north again. On I 295 you can take the exit for route 130 and the Bordentown Petro and get over to the turnpike there or you can continue up to exit 60 for I 195 east. This will take you over to the toll road with all freeway driving. Many truckers choose to run the toll road during high traffic times- though the turnpike also backs up sometimes. To go southbound from the turnpike take I 195 west to I 295 south all the way to the bottom. As mentioned about the north bound route, be careful around the junction of route 42 where traffic gets congested.

The bridges coming into New Jersey are non-toll, but leaving New Jersey can be very expensive. To leave New Jersey without a toll, head to Trenton. From the New Jersey Turnpike take I 195 west. I 195 ends at the junction of I 295, but the freeway doesn’t end there, so keep your eyes peeled. You’ll stay right and take I 295 north (if you continue straight you’ll be on route 29 heading into downtown Trenton). I 295 curves you around the north side of Trenton and brings you around to I 95 south (I 95 is somewhat confusing in this part of the country). You don’t exit, merge, or bear. You just keep going straight and you’ll be where you need to be. I 95 south will take you down through Philly- you can hit the PA turnpike or continue south on I 95 toward Delaware. Keep in mind that I 95 through downtown Philadelphia may not be the most pleasant drive during high traffic times. Also keep in mind that Pennsylvania likes to use rest area/welcome centers as weigh stations at non-toll border crossings.

In New Jersey and New York, the rule is NO TRUCKS ON PARKWAYS. Trucks are to use expressways, not parkways. Parkways have low bridges and no commercial vehicles or trailers are allowed in most places. The Garden State Parkway in New Jersey south of the Jersey City area does allow trucks. Traveling from the Jersey City area to Atlantic City, trucks are allowed on the GSP from exit 105 (route 18) south. Route 18 from the turnpike to the GSP has a lot of lights and a lot of traffic, so truckers may want to consider running the turnpike down to I 195 east and hitting the GSP that way. Don’t forget, the GSP is also a toll road.

The New Jersey fuel tax rate is $0.175 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes a $.04 per gallon gross receipts tax.

New Mexico Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
All commercial vehicles are required to enter the ports of entry in New Mexico if they are open. This means anyone hauling anything that is used for profit must enter. If someone is transporting their own personal goods (moving etc), they are not required to enter the ports no matter how large the truck. But a private, not-for-hire race hauler IS required to enter, because a race car is used for financial gain. If someone is hauling their own personal horses or livestock for personal reasons (not for racing or selling), they are only required to enter the ports if there is a sign saying that all vehicles with livestock must enter. That is different from all commercial vehicles with livestock.

Any vehicle or combination of vehicle traveling in New Mexico is allowed a 400 lb gross weigh tolerance if the vehicle has an APU (idle reduction technology) according to 66-7-410 in the New Mexico code of law.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in New Mexico must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

Every October you will see hundreds of hot air balloons in the sky above Albuquerque- it’s quite a sight if you are fortunate enough to drive through during the event. The event- called The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta- will be held this year October 6 thru 15. For truckers who can find a parking spot and wish to get up close to the event, the launching field is located on Alameda Blvd about 1 mile west of I 25. The admission fee is $6.00 for anyone 12-years-old or older and free for those under 12. No pets allowed. If you are interested in attending, call the information number at 888-422-7277.

New Mexico is arguably the Extraterrestrial center of the United States. Roswell and the Very Large Array are hard to top when it comes to E.T. incidents.

Roswell is site of the famed 1947 alien crash. A local rancher found the debris from a crash on his land and reported it to the local authorities. A clean up crew from the Roswell Army Air Field came out and cleared away the wreckage. The town of Roswell has capitalized on their “alien history” to draw in tourists and make some money off Roswell’s out of this world fame. Whether the UFO crash was truly an alien craft or a weather balloon or a craft used in a secret government program is still under debate today. It was certainly a flying object and it was certainly unidentified. Roswell is also home to the International UFO Museum and Research center. Two of the museum’s founders are the man who was the Public Information Officer for Roswell Army Air Field in 1947 and one of witnesses of the 1947 alien space craft incident. If you want to tour the museum, there is a $2 fee for adults (18 and over) and a $1 fee for children. For more information, you can call the museum at 505-625-9495.

The Very Large Array (VLA) of radio antennas is located west of I 25 just south of route 60, west of Socorro. Truckers headed to or from Arizona on route 60 will pass very close to the VLA, which is part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The VLA is a group of 27 radio antennas- each of which is longer in diameter than the average tractor trailer truck if you measure it bumper to bumper. 82 feet across is quite a spread! The antennas are used to listen for signals from out of space in the search for life beyond our planet.

The New Mexico fuel tax rate is $0.19 per gallon of diesel. This includes a penny per gallon loading fee.

According to driver M. Brown, truckers traveling on route 82 with a 53 foot trailer may find themselves paying a hefty fine. Mr. Brown was traveling on route 82 to avoid a blizzard on I 40. He was pulled over in Cloudcroft, NM, just east of Alamogordo and given a ticket for $375 by a sheriff’s deputy because he had a 53 foot trailer.

New York Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
New York CVEU (Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit) sets up in rest areas- there are no actual weigh station locations with permanent scales and buildings. The CVEU says it does not make a practice of hassling truckers who are parked in the rest area. Though they may ask them to reposition their trucks, they will not require them to actually leave the rest area or submit to inspections.

All vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 lbs or more are required to stop at New York State inspection points/weigh stations. This also applies to vehicles pulling trailers- if the combined weight of the vehicles is 10,000 lbs or more, New York requires it to stop and submit to inspection and weighing.

Just because you’re not at a designated weigh station doesn’t mean they haven’t weighed you. New York is using weigh in motion detection equipment in the roadways in some areas now to determine which trucks might be overweight. The trucker is then directed to enter the rest area to be weighed by a trooper who is already waiting for him.

New York does not perform vehicle searches unless they have a reason- that is left to officer discretion. They may enter or come close to the cab area to verify air pressure warnings or other inspection-related in-cab items. Unless they see something or have reason to believe there is contraband in the truck, they will not perform a search. Saying “no” to an officer who asks if he can perform a search of the interior of your truck is not considered “probable cause” for an inspection. But the officer may then choose to inspect your mattress, which would require him to enter the sleeper area with a tape measure.

Any trucker who is placed out of service- either due to hours of service regulations or safety violations will not be allowed to leave the rest area until the violations are corrected or the logbook hours sufficient. The CVEU may close up shop and leave, but they are likely to keep an eye on any out-of-service truckers. Whether that means informing local patrols or setting up their own units down the road to watch and wait and see if you leave, if you get caught, it is an arrest and your vehicle will be impounded.

If you are placed out of service on the New York Thruway at a toll booth or check station, the Thruway will require you to get the repairs done in a short period of time. If you cannot get a service truck out to fix you, the Thruway Authority will arrange to have a tow truck (or two if need be) tow you off the toll way.

We have seen New York State Patrol at the toll booths pull over a truck and do a vehicle inspection with chock blocks and a creeper- but we have not seen the portables at the toll booth inspections.

The New York State Thruway now owns Interstate 84 as well as the toll roads. I 84 is not slated to become a toll road. The Thruway had an agreement with the state of New York that they would end the tolls once the bond on the roadway was paid for. Well, when that happened, the Thruway bought I 84 from New York to keep itself in debt- so that they could keep charging tolls.

New York now has signs up that two speeding tickets in a construction zone will result in loss of your license. And if you are caught transporting fireworks in New York, you will lose your vehicle.

The New York fuel tax rate is $0.403 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes a $0.1465 per gallon petroleum business tax and a $0.03 per gallon spill tax. Local and county taxes vary anywhere from $0.03125 to $0.0475 per gallon. Many counties and cities have capped local sales taxes to $0.06 to $0.10 per gallon. The fuel tax rate provided ($0.403/gallon) includes an average of the variable rates of $0.08 per gallon.

North Carolina Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
North Carolina has color-coded signs to tell you if the weigh station is open or closed. Closed is in red lights and Open is in green lights. This is not a uniform color-coding in all states- some use red for open and green for closed.

North Carolina is one of the few-remaining smoker-friendly states. If you’re a smoker- cigarettes, pipes or cigars- or if you just like outlet shopping, you’ll want to stop by one of the J.R. Outlets- they are located in Burlington (I 40, exit 143), Statesville (I 77, exit 50) and Selma (I 95, exit 87). None of the J.R. stores allow truck parking on their property, but most of them have nearby truck parking options if you’re willing to be a little creative. One J.R. Outlet store is just down the hill from a mall, one has a street out front with a wide shoulder trucks park on and a large turnaround area where the street ends, and one has other nearby businesses that don’t sport the “No Truck Parking” signs that J.R. is so fond of. J.R. Outlet stores have cigar and pipe tobacco sales areas in humidors that are larger than many convenience stores. They also sell all kinds of clothing, audio books, toiletries, shoes, nick nacks and odds and ends… Normally we wouldn’t support a store that so blatantly snubs truckers, but if you like cigars, it’s the place to go.

The North Carolina fuel tax rate is $0.302 per gallon of diesel, which includes a $0.0025 per gallon inspection tax. The North Carolina fuel tax rate is variable. It is calculated from a base rate of $0.175 per gallon and a wholesale price component of $0.1235 per gallon.

North Dakota Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
All vehicles over 10,000 lbs are required to stop at North Dakota weigh and inspection stations- these are permanent weigh stations or roadside check stations.

There are more cars registered in the state of North Dakota than residents of the state of North Dakota. If you travel late at night, you may be lucky enough to see the northern lights- an amazing display of electrically charged particles that dance across the night sky.

The North Dakota fuel tax rate is $0.23 per gallon of diesel fuel.

Ohio Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
All commercial vehicles over 5 tons (10,000 lbs) are required to cross the scales if the weigh station is open in Ohio. This includes combination vehicles- meaning if your truck and trailer together weigh more than 5 tons, you are required to weigh.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Ohio must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

Ohio used to have a split speed limit for most of the state’s freeways- 65 for cars and 55 for trucks. Many truckers thought this would never change but now most of Ohio’s roadways have just one speed limit for both cars and trucks.

The split speed limit ended first up the Ohio turnpike when the turnpike authority changed it to 65 for cars and for trucks. Toll rates increased dramatically between 1982 and 1999. Many truckers refused to pay the high rates. Governor Taft and the Ohio Turnpike commission decided to lower the tolls and increase the speed limits to draw the truck’s back onto the turnpike from the side roads. Part of the plan to get truckers to use the Ohio turnpike more was increasing the enforcement of weight laws on the side roads.

The Ohio turnpike has an overall length limit on tractor-trailer combinations of 75 feet. Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs) can be up to 90 feet long. The weight limit for one axle is 21,000 lbs, for a tandem (less than 8 ft spacing) 34,000 lbs and overall gross weight limit of 90,000 lbs (provided your axle weights are within turpike standards). The Ohio Turnpike Commission increased toll rates for all vehicle classes effective January 1st, 2007. Truckers are paying an additional $2.50 to cross the length of the Ohio toll road on top of the $25.75 or $31.00 (depending on which weight class) they were already paying.

There is information online that the Ohio State Highway Patrol plans to close many of the existing weigh stations in the near future. This is not necessarily accurate. The highway patrol is working with the Ohio DOT to determine what the current trucking lanes are compared to what they were when the Ohio weigh stations were originally built. Many of Ohio’s weigh station are in need of repair or upgrades. So, they are analyzing whether it may be more cost effective to build new weigh stations in other locations and close some of the existing scales (rather than making repairs to poorly placed weigh stations).

Ohio State Patrol has a reputation for being tough on speeding truckers, but you won’t see them hiding behind walls or trees waiting to shoot someone in the rear with the laser gun. They sit in the center median. At night, they sit with their headlights on. If you get caught, it’s because you aren’t paying attention, not because they were sneaky.

The Ohio fuel tax rate is $0.28 per gallon of diesel fuel. The fuel tax is supposed to increase $0.03 per gallon every 2 years according to legislation passed in 2003.

Oklahoma Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Oklahoma plans to revamp 9 weigh stations in the coming years. For many years, truckers have joked that Oklahoma weigh stations keep bankers hours- other than officers who occasionally set up the portables at various locations. The first of these newly renovated weigh stations opened in April 2012. It’s located on I 35 near the Kansas border. There are weigh-in-motion scales in the road so think ahead, drivers!

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Oklahoma must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

Oklahoma weigh stations are NOT run by Oklahoma DOT or the state police. They used to be run by the tax commission- which may have be more appropriate than any other government agency. They are currently run by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Officers at the weigh stations are able to perform both paperwork and vehicle inspections. If you are called into an Oklahoma weigh station, be prepared to provide a copy of your lease contract if you are leased to a carrier in addition to your IRP registration, IFTA etc. The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety is in charge of roadside truck inspections and they rarely set up at the actual weigh stations. They tend to perform inspections on the shoulder or set up in a check station/pullout area.

The Oklahoma fuel tax rate is $0.14 per gallon of diesel.

Oregon Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Oregon (along with California and Washington) issues CVSA stickers for trucks and trailers that have passed inspections. The stickers are color coded and have cut-outs on the corners. This system allows a DOT officer to look at your windshield and know at a glance if youâ€™ve passed an inspection and when.

Vehicles over 20,000 lbs are required to enter Oregon weigh stations.

Don’t even think about blowing by Oregon weigh stations. Oregon is spending big bucks to install cameras in the roadway- they’ll catch you if you just fly on by. You’ll get a citation- $427 to $2,500- in the mail and have a court appearance to deal with.

Oregon Senate bill 223 officially allows trucks with APU (auxiliary power units) an extra 400 lbs in their gross weight limits. Oregon complies with the federal ruling and requires written certification of the APU’s weight. Oregon motor carrier enforcement officers have been allowing the 400 pound weight exemption since February of 2006. The APU must be in working condition.

Many Oregon weigh stations look like they have PrePass AVI equipment, but Oregon uses what they call Green Pass. It’s similar to PrePass, but doesn’t use the same signals. If you have PrePass, your transponder may give a signal, but it will always give you the red light.

One of the most notorious hills in trucking is located in Oregon. Cabbage, as it is called, is on I 84 between Pendleton and La Grande. The official name for Cabbage Hill is actually Emigrant Hill, but no one will know what you’re talking about if you call it that. West bound truckers will descend about 2,000 feet in 6 miles of switch backs. For anyone who can’t figure out what that means… it means that that’s one steep hill! Going westbound, truckers will know they are coming up on Cabbage when they pass the Emigrant Hill weigh station. Eastbound truckers will know they are coming up to the upgrade when they pass through Pendleton (you can’t miss seeing the big hill in front of you!). Going west bound, truckers are advised to stop in the brake check area at the weigh station to check their brakes. As you come up to the down grade, there is a sign showing recommended speeds based on what your weight is. The heavier you are, the slower you need to go. The hill stretches from mile marker 227 to mile marker 217 and there are truck escape ramps at mile markers 221 and 220.

On I 5 just south of the border to Washington State, truckers can spend some time at the Jubitz Truck Stop. The truck stop is a popular trucking destination because of the quality services it offers for truckers and travelers. The trucker’s center (called the Top of the Stop) has showers- including king-size jacuzzi shower rooms, a trucker’s lounge and an electronics room. The main building features a movie theater, the Cascade Grill restaurant and the Ponderosa Lounge. The Ponderosa Lounge features country music and live bands on the weekends. The main building also has full-service laundry facilities and an adjacent hotel (the Portlander Inn).

Oregon is one of a few states that does not charge sales tax on retail purchases. So if you need to buy anything and you’re headed that way, you may want to put off your purchases until you cross the state line into Oregon. This doesn’t go for fuel. Oregon doesn’t participate in the IFTA program- they charge a weight-mile tax instead. So any fuel you purchase in Oregon doesn’t count toward your IFTA… meaning that if you buy fuel in Oregon rather than in Idaho, California or Washington, you will end up paying more toward your IFTA tax. Be sure to have the permit in the cab at all times when traveling in Oregon- for a new calendar year, there is a grace period on carrying the permit until March, but you need to be sure to have the fuel tax permit renewed.

If you’re trying to talk to other truckers on a north/south route like I 5 or route 97, you’ll need to switch your cb radio to channel 17. Truckers run channel 17 from Lost Hills, California, to the Canadian border on north/south routes, and channel 19 on east/west routes.

The Oregon fuel tax rate is $0.243 per gallon of diesel. County taxes may be anywhere from $0.01 to $0.03 per gallon and city taxes may be anywhere from $0.01 to $0.05 per gallon. Don’t overlook the weight mile tax imposed on truckers traveling through Oregon when you are considering your fueling options.

Pennsylvania Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Pennsylvania has only two permanent weigh station locations with stationary scales up on I 80 in Clarion. There is one on I 80 east bound at that location and one on I 80 west bound. All the other weigh station locations are rest areas or other areas where DOT brings out a van and sets up with portables. You’ll see in a lot of Pennsylvania rest areas that there are weigh in motion plates on the exit ramps. Be prepared whenever you enter the state of Pennyslvania to encounter a mobil unit at a rest area or welcome center. Chances are they won’t be set up, but you never know… and they COULD be. Better safe than sorry.

The Pennsylvania fuel tax rate is $0.392 per gallon of diesel fuel. This rate includes a $0.261 per gallon oil company franchise tax and a $0.011 per gallon underground storage tank (UST) fee.

Rhode Island Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
The Rhode Island fuel tax rate is $0.31 per gallon of diesel fuel. This rate includes a penny per gallon environmental protection regulatory fee for the underground storage tank (UST) program.

South Carolina Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
South Carolina has color-coded signs to tell you if the weigh station is open or closed. Closed is in red lights and Open is in green lights. This is not a uniform color-coding in all states- some use red for open and green for closed.

The South Carolina fuel tax rate is $0.168 per gallon of diesel fuel. This rate includes a $0.0025 per gallon inspection fee and a $0.005 per gallon environmental fee for underground storage tank (UST) cleanup.

South Dakota Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
The home of the Plains Indians, Laura Ingalls, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse and, of course, Sturgis. There is a week-long biker rally in Sturgis every August. Hundreds of thousands of bikers descend on the town which has a population of only 6,000.

The South Dakota fuel tax rate is $0.24 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes a $0.02 per gallon tank inspection fee.

Tennessee Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Tennessee weigh masters say that all trucks must enter weigh stations- including rental trucks on chassis larger than the pickup truck chassis.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Tennessee must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

The Tennessee fuel tax rate is $0.184 per gallon of diesel. This rate includes a $0.004 per gallon environmental assurance fee.

Texas Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
We need the help of truckers in Texas. We compiled our list of scale locations from various sources and have confirmed many. We have also been able to de-bunk a few false weigh station locations. But Texas seemingly has a million state routes and a million scales listed… Because there are so many routes and our research is limited by the roads we are able to run within certain time periods and loads, we need your help to verify/de-bunk weigh station locations. So, if you find a scale or find that there’s NOT a scale… go to the page for that weigh station and leave a comment. Or you can use the “Contact Us” page to send a general comment. Thanks for your help!

Texas truckers thought they were going to have it made in the fast lane in May 2006 when Texas increased it’s day time speed limit to 80 mph. Turns out, though, that the increase from 70 mph to 80 mph was for cars only. Truckers are limited to 70 mph in these regions- in west Texas on interstates 10 and 20. In many areas of Texas, the speed limit at night is lower than the daytime limit. In the 80 mph areas, the night time speed limit for all vehicles is 65 mph.

Dallas, Texas, is home to The Great American Trucking Show (GATS). Th3 2007 event takes place August 23- August 25. Aaron Tippin will be back to entertain those attending teh event. In 2006, Aaron Tippin and Ronnie Milsap both performed free concerts for GATS attendees.

Exhibitors at the GATS include many trucking companies, on board weighing systems, tire and wheel manufacturers, chrome shops, trucking magazines and newspapers, trucking associations, truck lighting retailers, custom sleeper manufacturers, repair shops, truck accessory retailers, truck insurance providers, many radio personalities, and all kinds of products to make life on the road easier, and more fun and cost effective!

The GATS featured many trucking seminars, including seminars on safety, maintenance, personal credit, bio-diesel, background checks, and 2007 engines. Some seminars geared toward owner-operators are about fuel management, liability insurance, tax preparation, and used trucks. Some seminars geared toward fleets and companies are about fuel management, safety audits, licensing and fuel tax audits, and a “how to” seminar on becoming a motor carrier or freight broker.

The GATS features on-site truck parking. In 2005, the GATS had nearly 45,000 attendees and in 2006 they had 45,914 attending the show. For more information on the GATS, call 888-349-4287.

San Antonio, Texas, is located at the junction of I 10 and I 35. Traditionally, the fuel prices in this area of Texas have been cheaper than in other areas, but it is always good to verify actual current fuel prices online rather than trusting trends. San Antonio is home to the Alamo and the San Antonio River Walk. The Alamo is the site of the rally call to “Remember the Alamo” for Texas revolutionaries against Mexico. It is where 189 Texans held the fort against thousands of Mexican troops for almost 14 days. The San Antonio River Walk is a tourist attraction featuring bars, restaurants, and walk ways along the San Antonio River.

El Paso is known by truckers as the home of the “Cadillac Man” who will take you over the border to see the senoritas. His c.b. advertising can be heard via bounce or, as some may say, tape recorded reproductions of his voice across the 48 states.

Out in the west Texas desert is the town of Fort Stockton. People sing the praises of cities like El Paso and San Antonio, but neither has the claim to fame that Fort Stockton does. Fort Stockton is home to Paisano Pete, an 11-foot-long, 22-foot-long statue of a road runner. Strange but true.

The Texas fuel tax rate is $0.20 per gallon of diesel.

Utah Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
All trucks over 10,000 pounds and all commercial vehicles with livestock are required to enter Utah weigh stations. All vehicles with dealer tags are required to stop at the ports of entry.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Utah must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (without a permit) load, a non-divisible oversize or overweight load, a livestock load, or an agricultural load (including bees).

Utah seems to have it all… mountains, the salt flats, winter sports and summer travelers.

Salt Lake City is known by truckers for the construction it seems to always be under. Before the Olympics came to Salt Lake City a few years back, the city was a maze of orange barrels.

Truckers were required to take the downtown bypass route on I 215 rather than running through on I 80. Local cars could take I 80 and then take city streets around the stretch that was closed. Truckers taking I 215 at night would find that the construction crews would randomly close sections of 215, send the traffic off an exit ramp and have no detour signs.

Adding to the confusion was a base station that refused to allow anyone to get directions via the c.b. It was a virtual circus of truckers running around the city.

That didn’t end once the I 80 construction was done- they still have very poor signage for construction detours. A trucker needs a good sense of direction to get around without getting lost.

West of Salt Lake City you will pass the Great Salt Lake and encounter the famous salt flats. Along the roadway you will see some rather odd art work- a giant sculpture that resembles an abstract tree with giant orbs on it. You will also see where people have stopped and written their names in the sand or used rocks to spell them out.

East of Salt Lake City is a steep grade up Parley which can be treacherous in winter weather conditions. Many truckers choose to travel through the canyon of I 84 rather than brave the grade.

If you are headed west and want to take the canyon routing, when you come to the I 80 split where you can curve left to follow I 80 or bear right to follow I 84, take I 84. This is exit 162 off of I 80. I 84 will take you through the canyon which is a few stretches of curvy roads and reduced speeds. To get back to I 80 westbound, you will take exit 87 for route 89 south. Follow 89 south up over the hill and it will eventually put you out on I 15 south- there are no turns, just follow route 89. Route 89 has quite a few lights, so don’t be surprised by them. 15 south will take you back down toward Salt Lake, but you will want to take I 215 west at exit 313 around to I 80 west.

If you are headed east and want to route through the canyon, take exit 118 off I 80 for I 215 north. I 215 will end at I 15 north. Take that up to the town of Farmington. Route 89 junctions with I 15 for most of the routing, but in Farmington, route 89 will exit off to the right at exit 324. Exit 324 is marked as route 89, I 84 east, to So. Ogden. You’ll follow route 89 up over the hill and through many lights. When you come to I 84, take the ramp for east bound I 84. This isn’t marked very well- the ramp for I 84 east is about 1/2 mile after the exit for route 60. It is a right hand exit just before the freeway overpass marked “ramp.” This will take you through the curvy roads with lower speed limits in the canyon and eventually will end onto I 80 east bound on the other side of Parley’s mountain.

The Utah fuel tax rate is $0.245 per gallon of diesel.

Vermont Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
If a truck is 80 feet long or longer and is delivering in Vermont, Vermont law requires a pilot car. If a shorter truck is delivering in Vermont, Vermont law requires a permit and will determine the trucks routing and whether the truck needs to run with it’s four-ways on.

The Vermont fuel tax rate is $0.26 per gallon of diesel fuel.

Virginia Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Virginia recently began referring to weigh stations as Motor Carrier Service Centers. That is now their official term for weigh station.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Virginia must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

The Virginia fuel tax rate is $0.196 per gallon of diesel fuel. Localities that are part of the Northern Virginia Transportation District (or districts that neighbor the included localities) levy a 2% sales tax on fuel.

Washington Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Washington (along with Oregon and California) issues CVSA stickers for trucks and trailers that have passed inspections. The stickers are color coded and have cut-outs on the corners. This system allows a DOT officer to look at your windshield and know at a glance if youâ€™ve passed an inspection and when.

Washington State weigh stations use Norpass transponders rather than PrePass transponders.

Truckers traveling from the Seattle area to middle or eastern Washington State will have to cross the Wenatche Mountain Range which is part of the larger Cascade Mountain Range that extends from British Columbia all the way down to Northern California. Truckers don’t refer to it as that- instead, they’ll ask on the c.b. radio “what’s Snoqualmie doing?” Snoqualmie is the major mountain pass that truckers will cross on I 90. Take Snoqualmie seriously in winter weather conditions. It is one of several roadways in the state of Washinton where truckers are required to carry tire chains from November 1st through April 1st- even if they don’t plan to use them.

Other Washington State roadways where trucks that are 10,000 lbs or more are required to carry chains are I 82 from Ellensburg to Selah, Blewett Pass on route 97, Stevens Pass on route 2, White Pass on route 12, Satus Pass on route 97, Chinook Pass on route 410, Sherman Pass on route 20, route 155 from Omak to Nespelem, route 970 from Cle Elum to Teanaway, route 542 (Mount Baker Highway) from mile post 22 to mile post 57.

Trucks that are 10,000 lbs or more that are traveling these roadways during the restricted months are required to carry the minimum required chains plus two extra chains in case the road conditions require more chains.

Truckers headed to Spokane will want to make sure they have their pronunciation right. It’s Spokane, rhyming with can, not rhyming with cane. The folks who live there tend to be a bit particular about that!

If you’re trying to talk to other truckers on a north/south route like I 5, you’ll need to switch your cb radio to channel 17. Truckers run channel 17 from Lost Hills, California, to the Canadian border on north/south routes, and channel 19 on east/west routes.

The Washington fuel tax rate is $0.36 per gallon of diesel. This rate is scheduled to increase by $0.015 per gallon on July 1, 2008.

West Virginia Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
PrePass trucks that receive a green light in West Virginia must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

The West Virginia fuel tax rate is $0.315 per gallon of diesel.

Wisconsin Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
Wisconsin has signs saying that all trucks over 4 tons must weigh at truck weigh stations.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Wisconsin must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load.

The Wisconsin fuel tax rate is $0.329 per gallon of diesel fuel. This rate includes a $0.02 per gallon underground storage tank (UST) fee.

Wyoming Weigh Station Truck Scales & DOT Information
If you pull into Wyoming scale you will have to take in your IFTA and registration. They may ask for other documentation as well. If you don’t have your IFTA with you or it is lost, you can purchase a temporary IFTA that will get you through the state. Wyoming used to issue a paper permit with the date and time your truck entered Wyoming on it. You had to carry this in your truck while traveling through the state. They no longer do this.

If you have PrePass and get the green, bypass light, you will not have to stop at a Wyoming Port of Entry. If you get the red light or if you do not have PrePass, you will be required to stop. They will weigh your truck and direct you to pull of the scale. You are then required to take your permits into the Port of Entry so they can check them. A green light when you are sitting on the truck scale means you have been weighed. It doesn’t mean you can leave the Port of Entry.

PrePass trucks that receive a green light in Wyoming must still enter an open weigh station if they are pulling an oversize/overweight (even permitted) load or a livestock load.

And don’t speed through a Wyoming scale. We have been in the office when they pulled a truck inside because he was speeding in the bypass lane. Watch it, boys…

If you’re traveling across I 80 in Wyoming, be sure to stop by Little America and the Little America Truck Stop. As far as truck stops go, this is one high class place. They have showers with giant bath tubs that are as nice and fancy as any hotel suite! And the restaurant at the main building is a nice change from the typical truck stop fare. Also on I 80, you can stop in the rest area on the west bound side east of Laramie and see a giant sculpture of President Lincoln. You can see the work of art from the freeway, but it’s worth a closer look. On I 90 north west of Sundance, there is the Devil’s Tower National Monument. It’s worth a sight seeing trip.

Don’t let Wyoming roads get the better of you. There are three areas in particular along I 80 you’ll want to watch out for in the winter months. West of Fort Bridger, there is a series of hills called the sisters. The steep “down-up, down-up” can be treacherous. Between Rawlins and Laramie is a stretch of freeway truckers refer to as Elk Mountain. They aren’t talking about the town of Elk Mountain- they’re referring to the miles and miles of hazardous, slick roads that often close the freeway down during bad weather. When the freeway is closed, adventurous truckers can take route 30 around. Route 30 tends to be less ice-covered but can also be quite dangerous. And just east of Laramie is a steep hill called Sherman- east bound it is an uphill grade, west bound it is a downhill grade. If the road crews haven’t gotten it clear, it can be quite a scary ride.

These are by no means the only bad spots to watch out for in Wyoming, but they are certainly the most well-known.

The Wyoming fuel tax rate is $0.14 per gallon of diesel fuel. This rate includes a penny per gallon fee for environmental cleanup costs.