<P> Weigh stations were primarily created to collect road use taxes before IFTA created an integrated system of doing so . While taxes can still be paid at weigh stations , their primary function is now enforcement of tax and safety regulations . These include : to check freight carrier compliance with fuel tax laws ; to check weight restrictions ; to check equipment safety ; to check compliance with hours of service Regulations . Weigh stations are regulated by individual state governments and therefore have vastly different requirements from state to state . They are typically operated by the state 's Department of Transportation ( DOT ) or Department of Motor Vehicles ( DMV ) in conjunction with the state highway patrol or state police , thus enabling enforcement of applicable laws . The federal maximum weight is set at 80,000 pounds . Trucks exceeding the federal weight limit can still operate on the country 's highways with an overweight permit , but such permits are only issued before the scheduled trip and expire at the end of the trip . Overweight permits are only issued for loads that can not be broken down to smaller shipments that fall below the federal weight limit , and if there is no other alternative to moving the cargo by truck . Permitted oversize trucks are often required to coordinate with the Departments of Transportation and law enforcement agencies of the transited states before the trip begins , as most states require oversize trucks to be escorted . Many states have weigh in motion technology that allow a continuous flow of truck weighing . </P>
<P> Weigh stations were primarily created to collect road use taxes before IFTA created an integrated system of doing so . While taxes can still be paid at weigh stations , their primary function is now enforcement of tax and safety regulations . These include : to check freight carrier compliance with fuel tax laws ; to check weight restrictions ; to check equipment safety ; to check compliance with hours of service Regulations . Weigh stations are regulated by individual state governments and therefore have vastly different requirements from state to state . They are typically operated by the state 's Department of Transportation ( DOT ) or Department of Motor Vehicles ( DMV ) in conjunction with the state highway patrol or state police , thus enabling enforcement of applicable laws . The federal maximum weight is set at 80,000 pounds . Trucks exceeding the federal weight limit can still operate on the country 's highways with an overweight permit , but such permits are only issued before the scheduled trip and expire at the end of the trip . Overweight permits are only issued for loads that can not be broken down to smaller shipments that fall below the federal weight limit , and if there is no other alternative to moving the cargo by truck . Permitted oversize trucks are often required to coordinate with the Departments of Transportation and law enforcement agencies of the transited states before the trip begins , as most states require oversize trucks to be escorted . Many states have weigh in motion technology that allow a continuous flow of truck weighing . </P>
when do you have to pull into a weigh station
when do you have to pull into a weigh station
vastly different requirements from state to state
vastly different requirements from state to state