9 Facts Rental Truck Companies Don't Tell You: What's the Deal With Weigh Stations?

Rental must stop at weigh stations

Nine Facts Rental Truck Companies Don't Tell You

  1. Moving but Have Some Questions Regarding Rental Trucks?
  2. What are Weight Stations?
  3. Should Rental Trucks Stop at Weigh Stations?
  4. Stopping Tips
  5. What Do Rental Truck Companies Say About Weigh Stations?
  6. U-Haul
  7. Budget
  8. Penske
  9. Do I Have to Stop at Weigh Stations During My Move?

1. Moving but Have Some Questions Regarding Rental Trucks?

If you are planning a cross country move and will be utilizing a rental truck, you are probably confused about whether or not you are required to weigh your truck. This question is not uncommon to hear because most people do not know about the procedure for driving a large truck. If the average person does know what a weigh station is, they likely don’t know when to stop at one. If you are planning to use a rental truck to move, you are probably in the same boat as all the other first-time movers. Normal automobiles are not required to stop at the weigh stations, but what about vehicles with different weight requirements?

2. What Are Weigh Stations?

A weigh station is a checkpoint on a highway that makes it impossible for safety inspections to be done on all trucks that are transporting goods in the USA. Essentially, they are intended to make it safer for everyone to travel on highways by preventing unsafe or heavy trucks from moving on interstates. Highway weigh stations are typically only for vehicles operating commercial transport jobs, but personal moving vehicles may also need to stop. For any case in particular, whether you need to stop depends on the size and weight of the truck, as well as the state you are in. Being informed on the weigh station regulations for the state you are in is important if you want to avoid paying a heavy fine. Knowing the correct weigh stations to stop at allow you to save some time, as well.

3. Should Rental Trucks Stop at Weigh Stations?

Moving Authority recently reached out to the USDOT branches located in each state to gather information on specific regulations in their respective states when it comes to rental trucks stopping at weigh stations. Some of the DOT branches in these states referred us to other state agencies, such as State Police or the Department of Motor Vehicles.

If you are interested in having all the information you need to be prepared for the cross country move in a rental truck, you should be ready to do some work. As we said before, there is some confusion regarding the topic of rental trucks stopping at weigh stations. If you contact the DOT in any state, you should not expect to come across a straight answer. Again, there are a lot of different answers floating around about particular weigh station regulations by state.

4. Stopping Tips

The question of whether or not you need to stop at weigh stations is probably still lost on you.

  • For states that determine whether you need to stop based on truck weight, you can use a professional truck scale to get the weight of your truck prior to leaving. A quick search online can give you locations to the truck weigh scales near you.
  • If you are unsure about whether stopping at a weigh station is necessary, remember that it is always better to just pull over. If they do not need you to stop, then they will tell you to keep going.
  • Check for signs that could help guide you to the correct lane when approaching a weigh station.
  • Skipping a weigh station could result in you having to pay a fine, so you should always stop.

5. What Do Rental Truck Companies Say About Weigh Stations?

The most popular truck rental companies do not provide exact information on whether it is required for you to stop at weigh stations. However, their websites provided statements about whether it was recommended that you stop.

6. U-Haul

Since you are not performing a commercial move in a U-Haul truck, the company says that there is no need for you to stop at a weigh station. Although, they say that if you are unsure, then you should stop at the weigh station.

7. Budget

According to their site, drivers of budget trucks should stop at all weigh stations.

8. Penske

Drivers of Penske rental trucks should watch for signs regarding trucks, as there will be some that provide information on weigh stations. The company does not say whether it is required for drivers to stop.

9. Do I have to Stop at Weigh Stations on my Move?

It can be tedious to stop at weigh stations when you are moving across the country. If you want to get to your destination in less time, consider using the services of a moving company. There are many different companies available to handle whatever services your move may necessitate. Thanks to online resources such as Moving Authority, finding a mover has never been easier. You can follow the moving truck with your vehicle or fly to your new location. You can also use the Moving Authority cost calculator to get a price estimate for your move.