The World's Largest Free Load Board

Plus Free Freight Broker Credit Reports

As you get your start in the trucking industry, there are a lot of different pieces of information you’ll want to be familiar with. Today we want to focus on the importance of freight weight.

Many trucking companies may take hundreds of loads a year and not really understand the role of freight weight. We explore the topic of freight weight a bit more in our new blog.

Why Freight Weight Matters

Like other parts of the trucking industry, some specific rules and regulations dictate how your job can be done. Freight weight of truck loads and classification is just another aspect. The weight can influence a few things like the cost of shipping costs, the classification your freight will fall under (to protect roads from damage), and to ensure your truck is not taking on more than it can handle, which is dangerous for you and other drivers on the road.

Your freight truck loads take up space on a trailer, making it very important that your freight weight is true and accurate. Your freight weight determines your rate and overall density. Because carriers can only legally carry a specific amount of weight depending on the size of the trailer and truck, there are potential fines, and violations should the specifications be ignored.

Weight limits were set with the safety of roads, bridges and tunnels in mind. When declaring weight, you must put the exact weight, not rounded off figures. Shippers who do not accurately declare their weights may face reweigh charges. All carriers have some form of weight and inspection programs to help curb the potential of delaying shipments.

Why are Trucks Weighed?

Now that you have an understanding of why freight weight matters let’s get into the basics of why freight is weighed and what to expect at weigh stations.

You’ve seen signs for weigh stations while making a journey along the interstate before. So what exactly are these weigh stations? They are a designated location, generally located directly off of highways, where the Department of Transportation or state highway patrol inspects the weight of a cargo-carrying semi-truck. They’re checking that these vehicles adhere to regulations.

The Safety Aspect of Weighing Freight

Overweight trucks can pose a potential risk to the actual roads and other drivers. Interstates across North America have certain structural limitations, like weight, for example. Cargo vehicles and semi trucks are the only vehicles that come close to these weight restrictions. Typically, they must weigh below 80,000 pounds (36,287 kg). Trucks going over this weight limit may be dangerous in weaker spots, like on bridges or overpasses

Resources for Truck Drivers

We hope this information has been useful as you embark on your journey into the trucking lifestyle and career opportunities. If you’re interested in free load boards and other resources exclusively for truck drivers, check out the FreeFreightSearch.com blog!

You can also gain access to the world’s largest FREE load board by signing up here!

Share This