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Truck Weigh Stations Won't Require Stopping

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By RICH SHOPES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 5, 2009

Two high-tech weigh stations set to open Tuesday will allow trucks to get back on the road faster while cutting emissions.

The "weigh-in-motion stations" on Interstate 4 near Kingsway Road in Mango allow vehicles to keep moving at 45 mph while being weighed to determine whether they exceed legal limits.

The $36 million stations underwent testing today after a year of construction and are set to open Tuesday, replacing two existing weigh stations in Plant City.

Truck owners can be fined 5 cents for every pound their vehicle is over weight. Police say overweight vehicles damage roads and are unsafe to the drivers and other motorists.

"That's what this is really all about, safety," said Capt. Troy Thompson of the Department of Transportation's Motor Carrier Compliance Office.

Because the trucks keep moving, the new weigh stations allow truck drivers to re-enter the highway at a faster speed than if starting from a dead stop at a regular weigh station. That means the trucks use less fuel and produce less exhaust.

The in-motion weigh stations are the first in Hillsborough. The department has installed eight others around the state, starting about 10 years ago.

Inside a monitoring office, DOT officers can scan a bank of computers to study a truck's size, weight and number of axles. Trucks deemed overweight are routed to a static weigh station where they're weighed again and either sent on their way or inspected by the officers.

Less than 1 percent of the trucks at weigh stations are declared overweight, Thompson said. A truck weighing 8,000 pounds over limit can mean a $400 fine to its owner.

"Believe me, that will get the owner's attention," he said.

He expected the two stations will handle a combined 2 million trucks a year.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633.

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