Big Building Behind The Scale House At Weigh Stations

I've been driving class b for a year and a half in southern Florida. Every time I go by the weigh station at 164 on 74 I always wonder about this building. The restrooms are there but next to them is a bay door for trucks to pull in and a door to pull out. I've never seen a truck in there except for today. You can see in the sides of it. Was it a truck wash of some sort. There was two fhp's sittin there too. Any help would be nice. This is something that's always been on my mind when I go by.

Michael, that is a building that you don't really want to have to pay a visit to. That is where they ask you to pull in if they are going to do a full blown inspection on your vehicle. Many times those buildings will have a pit below the truck where a D.O.T. officer can get a good look all around underneath your truck. They will be checking things like the distance your air brake mechanism moves as you apply pressure to the pedal, they will be listening for air leaks, looking for any type of fluid leak. Basically if you get asked to go in there you are going to be delayed, and quite often, if they really want to, they will be able to find something they don't like the looks of.

Let the sight of that building be your constant reminder of how important a good thorough pre-trip inspection is for your safety, your livelihood, and your peace of mind.

I have heard it called "The Barn," in the trucking vernacular.

Dave

Old School is absolutely right. If you get called in one of the big barns, pull out your wallet and kiss the day goodbye lol.

I've been in "the barn" before and they did a full inspection on me. Passed with flying colors and it was a good experience. Plus i got paid 50$ for the pass which only took 20 minutes. This was in CA too, you know, the so called worst DOT in the world.

DOT isn't evil, they're good people just doing their job. I appreciate them for what they do because if it wasn't for the DOT then there would be an extremely high amount of unsafe-to-operate vehicles on the road.

DOT isn't bad and they shouldn't be feared. Do your job and youll be fine.

I went by twice more today and there was always a truck in the barn I guess today was inspection day for DOT In my area. And does anybody know why some trucks pass the weigh station. Conventional and otr as well as box trucks. I always go through and was under the impression you always have to but I guess not

This is brake check week, a time when they are doing inspections all across the country.

Not every truck has to go through the weigh stations. The larger companies have a system in their trucks called "pre-pass." If you have this system in your truck you will get a green or a red light on your pre-pass, it lets you know if they want you to come through the weigh station or by pass it.

Having work driving bobtails in Ca. for several years I have been through inspections several times. I find that as long as you are not pulled into the first bay you can usually have about a 20 to 30 minute inspection. Bay one usually means you are going to get the full treatment or they spotted something wrong and you could be in for a long day.

I've been in "Bay 1" before. Truck failed (small air leak on break chamber) trailer passed.

Dave

I have been in bay 1 twice in one day in CA once in truckee then a little while later at the bottom passed both times just showedthe second place the paper from the first and was good to go