Weight scales are an essential tool for preserving the safety of the road and preventing excess wear and tear on it. Unless you are an experienced long-distance truck driver, you might not know much about these weight stations. Here's a brief overview of what a truck weight station is and why truckers need to visit them.

Reliable Van & Storage Truck Scale

Our public scale is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Location: 550 Division Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07201

Weigh Station Truck Scale Details

What Is a Weigh Station? Why Is It Important to Use One?

In-ground weigh stations are complex measuring tools placed in a concrete foundation. Truck scales, as they are also known, provide highly accurate information such as:

  • Gross Vehicle Weight, both unloaded and loaded
  • Axle Weight
  • Axle Spacing
  • Vehicle Class

Most weigh stations are used to help determine if a truck is overloaded or if the load is uneven. Why is this important? An overloaded truck can cause road damage and is more prone to breaking down on the highway. An uneven load can damage the truck and even increases the risk of an accident.

Who is Required to Use a Truck Weight Scale?

Any commercial vehicle weighing more than 10,001 pounds is required to stop at a public weigh station in most states. New Jersey also requires all vehicles weighing 10,001 lbs or more to stop at weigh stations. This includes privately owned vehicles and rental trucks, such as a U-Haul, if it is estimated to be more than 10,000 lbs.

Federal law also limits the weight of vehicles on the road to a maximum gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 80,000 pounds. Thankfully, not many vehicles would come close to that weight.

Should You Use Public Truck Scale in New Jersey?

Using a certified public scale before heading out on the highway helps truck drivers avoid potential fees later on at state-mandated highway truck weigh stations. When they visit a highway weight station, if their vehicle is overweight for its class or the load is unbalanced, the truck driver will incur a fine. The driver can also be delayed while they sort out an unbalanced or overloaded truck.

By visiting a public truck scale in New Jersey, you'll know if your load is roadworthy ahead of time.

Where to Find a Public Scale?

Find a cost-effective certified public scale at Reliable Van & Storage. We're a residential moving company with our own in-ground truck scale. Reliable Van offers fast and accurate weighing of your vehicle at our station just off of I-95 at exit 13A.

If you are also looking for help with a local or long-distance move, our experts can provide it. We work with customers to plan out residential moves, commercial moves, and international moves. Need a one-time specialized moving service? We can provide it. Not to mention, we offer off-site storage services.

To learn more about our local weigh station and truck scale in Elizabeth NJ, give Reliable Van a call. Or, drop by our office in Elizabeth, NJ.