Alaska Highway-HDT vs Weigh Stations

[Larry&Donna-AK]

Last year an US Military friend was self moving from AK to the 48 States. He received a ticket from a Yukon Mounty for not stopping at a Weigh Station.

He was driving his personal cargo van with no commercial markings, same as a U-Haul Truck. He attempted to explain to the Mounty the Truck was his personal vehicle, had non commercial license plates, registered in his name, and showed the typical "Not for Hire" display on the truck. The Mounty told him he was required to stop, end of story. He ended up paying the large fine because he didn't have time to fight the ticket due to his scheduled reporting to his next assignment.

 

My questions:

1. What are the Canadian Weigh Station Rules for Personal HDT Trucks?

2. Can they change by Province?

[Big5er]

This web page says

 

YUKON

All vehicles over 9,000 kg must stop.

And that is why it pays to read the signs...and know that a kg is 2.2lbs

And, Yes. They can change just like the states do.

[Darryl&Rita]

From this website, a quote"

 

Reporting requirements 9.(1) The driver of (a) a vehicle exceeding a registered gross vehicle weight of 4,500 kilograms, or ( b )a farm vehicle (as defined under the Motor Vehicle Act) on a highway, must report to each scale designated by the Minister for the purpose unless a sign or signal authorized by an officer instructs that they need not report. (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to the driver of (a) a school bus; ( b ) a recreational vehicle; or ( c ) a vehicle operating under a weigh scale reporting exemption permit.

 

Do what it takes to get MoHo registration. We run private truck plates in Alberta, so we'd be required to stop, but a MoHo registration is available. Us pulling a 5'er, is probably a little more obviously "Recreational" than a box truck, so I'll take my chances

 

Edit to correct some of the quote

[Larry&Donna-AK]

Thanks for the Weblink. I didn't know this.

[Imurphy907]

Drove an hdt from texas to ak last september. passed through 6 states and 2 canadian provinces. stopped at ZERO stations. the ones in canada says RV's are exempt. Even then, i watched my mirrors are miles after each weight station the entire 4800 miles.

[Larry&Donna-AK]

Drove an hdt from texas to ak last september. passed through 6 states and 2 canadian provinces. stopped at ZERO stations. the ones in canada says RV's are exempt. Even then, i watched my mirrors are miles after each weight station the entire 4800 miles.

Thanks for the input...it's been 3 years since I've driven the highway, usually I'm going from point A to point B in the shortest time possible. Now I'm thinking it's time to slow down to check out what I've missed.

[Big5er]

Drove an hdt from texas to ak last september. passed through 6 states and 2 canadian provinces. stopped at ZERO stations. the ones in canada says RV's are exempt. Even then, i watched my mirrors are miles after each weight station the entire 4800 miles.

But not all HDT's are registered as "RV's". Some states do not allow it. Like Darryl said, his HDT is registered as a "truck". While he would probably get passed through as "recreational", travel trailers get delivered by somebody...it could be the guy in the HDT next to you.

[Hewhoknowslittle]

But not all HDT's are registered as "RV's". Some states do not allow it. Like Darryl said, his HDT is registered as a "truck". While he would probably get passed through as "recreational", travel trailers get delivered by somebody...it could be the guy in the HDT next to you.

 

Karen and I got stopped last year coming home from the ECR by a DOT officer and was questioned about our trailer being a new delivery, I have my truck and my trailer in a LLC in Montana, so he was sure I was commercial, after a short discussion a large bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, a loud clap of thunder sounded and he said, have a safe trip, the one and only time I have been stopped, but I was ready to open up the basement compartment and ask if new deliveries had this much personal stuff in them, that being said the only time I have stopped at a scale house was in Nebraska, as the weigh station sign states, any vehicle pulling any trailer must stop and weigh, including RV's, so I did, was weighed and got the green light.

 

Roger

[Jack Mayer]

When I took delivery of my truck in Calgary and drove it to Kilgore, TX I had to pass Canadian weigh stations. I went into each one - they were the automated ones - no weighmaster, but a remote setup to someplace. I was greenlighted on them. In the US I bypassed all weigh stations. Doing that in the US I took a chance. But I had no hitch on the truck and was not commercial. As Big5er says (correctly) you do still have to sometimes stop - depending on what you are.

 

Towing the 5th wheel I NEVER, EVER willingly stop - I will if a PERSON (not a sign) flags me into the station. Also, now that i am a MH I do not stop bobtail, either. Never been chased down in 13 years of fulltiming with the HDT. But there is some luck involved in that as well.....

[Tom&]

Have traveled through BC and Yukon 5 times bobtail since purchasing our truck, which is registered as a motorhome in the state of Alaska and never stop at scales with no problems, Jack is right on.

[gjhunter01]

Can someone explain the concern of weigh stations as to RV's for me? I thought class A roads were designed to handle trucks at 20,000 lbs per axle and over that weight they may cause road damage. I can't believe there are many RV's out there that exceed 20,000 lbs per axle. When I drove commercial loads, most weigh stations were concerned about log books and equipment such as lights and straps. If a trucker was over weight he usually knew it and made adjustments, different route or after hours.

It's plain and simple if you are not commercial then stay out of weigh stations. If they chase you down, then open your doors and show them the inside, case should be closed.

Greg

[Pappy Yokum]

Some things are never "plain and simple".

 

Also, unfortunately, many are not as they "should be".

 

It is what it is.

 

.

[Larry&Donna-AK]

Have traveled through BC and Yukon 5 times bobtail since purchasing our truck, which is registered as a motorhome in the state of Alaska and never stop at scales with no problems, Jack is right on.

Thanks you for your experience. I also plan to register my truck as a MH, therefore I'm not expecting any problems driving the Alaskan Highway. Sometimes I just have to ask the dumb questions.