The last line in your post makes me scratch my head in bewilderment-----------In the case of spreads,triples or other trailers and ways of loading over 50000 LEGALLY yes it needs prorated-------IF it requires overloading to get over the 50000 mark making it a FINE on the driver and or the carrier all loads over 50000 should never be loaded.When I started this deal back in the 70s the fine for the overload often didnt exceed the socalled profit of the excess over the legal gross-----now then the fine will often be more than the weekly profit of the truck if you are just 2000 approx over--------------also it kind of sucks that you can load 80000 gross legal,and then you end up around 85000-------then the guys who can legal 85000 end up at 90000.If everyone would leave them in the pen and roll out legal all these rate wars might start to get fewer as the demand for trucks would increase

More and more shippers are wanting 53 foot trailers and the drivers all want long wheel base conv. trucks . the shippers like the extra room in the big trailer but more and more they abuse it by putting 55,000lbs to 60,000lbs + on and then want to flat rate it the same as a 50,000lbs load but bigger trailers and bigger trucks take away fro your legal pay load .If you wont haul it some one else will . We need some laws that make the shipper responceable as well as the trucker for the over load fines I'll bet that when the shipper got a fine for $6000.00 for over loading 10 trucks that got caught they would make sure you were legal. Call or write your state representiives and may be we can stop the shipper from making us break the law and us bearing all the burden.   I use to run Freightliner cab overs with 44 and 45 foot trailers and I could haul 55,000lbs legal as thease rigs were 25000lbs empty full of fuel . Now days I doubt you could get a load with a 44 foot pot our death loss was no more in those days than it is today in those days most of the cattle truck drivers were cowboys and knew how to take care of livestock . Our drivers allways help the truck a head and behind load and have complained about other drivers that wont get out of their trucks and help or dont Know any better may be . Boys we are all live stock haulers and it makes things a lot easyer when we stick to gather and help one another out and it makes us look more like pro's and the shipper likes it better too and is more likely to call you back. Be Safe. Coon Hunter

This is a two way street. You think the problem is only with the shippers, but it is not. These trucks are getting way out of hand on the dry weight.  Why does a truck need to have a 290+ inch wheel base with a 72 inch sleeper and the driver never is gone more than one night away from home. I've seen drivers get motel rooms if they have to spend more than one night in the sleeper. So why have that big box on the back of the cab when a 36 or 42 inch box will do. To look cool, that's why. I know some companies felt pressed into buying bigger trucks to keep good drivers or to attract good drivers. Comfort is important to a driver, i know I've been there, but things have gotten out of hand. Some of these guys really need to sit down and really figure what they needed in the way of equipment  and they would not have a weight problem. I know allot of drivers out there that live in their trucks and need the extra room. Come on guys, when your truck weighs 34-35000 empty with a 50 ft trailer, something is wrong, you can't even haul 50000 lbs legal. When the bigger trailers came out, the shippers wanted them so they could haul more cattle, and we did it by getting them, 45' to 48's then 48's to 50's then the big ones, the 53 footers. If they start making 57 ft livestock trailers tomorrow and the shippers demand them, we will start buying them. My point is....., we always give the customer what they want and if we get laws passed that the shipper pays for over weights ,which I believe it should be that way too, wave your big fancy rig goodbye because the shipper is still going to want that 50000 lb or 55000 lb or 60000 lb load hauled and will demand lighter trucks to get it done. So be Carful for what you wish for.

I think you have hit the nail on the head. We all need to speak up about this and make the shippers responsible for over loading, if the driver voluntarily over loads then that's his or her problem, if they are forced then that's the shippers fault. All loads over 50,000 lbs should be prorated.

You say to be carewful what you wish for--------interesting we have trucks that have big bunks and decent wheelbase but still can damn near haul 50000.its all in how you spec them

Yes you can get close but you have to be clean and out of fuel, not going far on empty tanks. I suppose if you order a truck with a little engine and every light weight option and little tires and 3/16 frame you can get to 31000.  Small tires you will drag on bad roads or in pasture, light frame crack after a few years on places we go, so why go buy something that will not last just to haul more weight for nothing. We need to get weights set at or under 48000 off scale no shrink leave the rest of the cattle for another truck.  As for the laws that need pasted to make the owner or shippers pay for tickets is only fare for they are the ones making the extra money by putting them on the truck.

To the last guy that wrote. You need to go and check the weight of the new trucks, without nothing in them dry weight. The new trucks are so heavy with all the EPA crap on them you can not buy a truck and trailer that weighs under 32000 now. Shippers want big trailer and that comes with extra weight. I don't know many trucks that can load 48000 legal. You would have to be washed out and low on fuel every time. I have always said we need to add on $25.00 every load to the shipper for washing out the trailer, remember it is from the load you hauled for them. I like the shippers that say well you will be legal once they shrink, what kind of dumb ass are you, or you think we are. Where dose it go shippers.The loads need to be at 48000 scale weight.

you really need to talk to whoever specs your equipment.I think c-15 cats arent little power,I have never seen a 3/16th frame and I am second generation in this business 1/4 yes--3/16 no.But its funny the 70s were full of 260 wheelbase trucks pulling 46 ft trailers that hauled big loads that didnt develop these frame issues .I ran a factory 1/4 inch rail 265 wheelbase truck on reyco spring ride from 1977 to 1992 that the frame never broke and it pulled several 48ft 96 wide pots in as abusive of a neighborhood as any one has ever seen with no problems.As far as weight goes we have two trucks with what they call a 50 ft merrit on 24 lp tires that with a good half a tank of fuel weigh in at 30500 ish.People who spec trucks to what they think are tough with empty weights around 35000 are as much of a problem as any when they load 48000 lbs-------they are still over the 80k limit.

how about that shrink you load and they automatic deduct 3% or more and say you have a legal load well you can't run with your traps open with out paying a fine if you get cought. So you scoop out or wash out so it cost you to get rid of the shrink . If you were hauling palletized freight the weight of the pallets are in the rate and not deducted . so why are we hauling shit and have to pay to haul it . we should get payed for all weight that is loaded as it is most of the time you get docked for the shrink and then pay to get it out of your trailer. Coon Hunter

Call your state senator and the Nebraska State Trucking Association. They are trying to get the fines to go to the shipper as well as the hauler.

If you have not bought any new equipment  since 92 you will be in for a big surprise. Go check the weight of these new trucks. You said you can get to 30500 still can't haul 50000 with your old equipment and you must wash out every load to do that. I would love to see someones specs. that can get a truck and trailer under 31000, I don't think it can be done, prove me wrong.

I pull a 48 foot barrett sheep trailer and weigh 34000 full of fuel with a 379 pete.  I would be interested in finding out if anyone has ran a c-13 cat? I found one in a pete with a 16200 pound dry weight around 1500 lighter than my current truck.  I do go around scales and find it kind of a challenge helps to make it fun.  As for the loading heavy if they just tell the truth about the weight i dont have a problem with it. I would like to pull a longer trailer just to make the ride better for the animals in the back.  I run cali alot and they dont like anything over 48.  thats my speal yall have a great summer and help each other some. see ya on the trail.

I have grown up in cow trucking, am also a driver. In my over 24 years in the industry, rare in a day did we or I haul a legal load. Even back in the 80's, early 90's when we had a 85 truck with a whoping 36" bunk, we still hauled heavy. It is a well known fact that cow truckers run outside that leagal box. If I was running under 80000, I still avoid an open scale.

Is it that big of a deal to haul heavy? Is it so hard to go around a scale?

One had said something about a lighter truck with 36" bunk, since we are only gone for a day or so from home... This is the first day I have been home in 2 1/2 weeks. So not all of us get to see the house every 1 1/2 to 2 days.

Just my thoughts.

I agree with you been there done that also. But now days the tickets are very expensive go on your driving record and insurance goes up lawyers waiting for accidents to get rich, people trying to cause accidents because of tv commercial lawyer's telling them how much money they can get. We haul heavy but get paid for it, have no problem as long as we are compensated for it. We collect on scale weight at time of loading not on the other end after shrink like a lot of them do.  I don't know of many that get home enough to not have a sleeper. He must be one of those that never needs to sleep.

I know you can go spec. a truck and buy every light weight option and get a truck and trailer down lightweight, but it is going to cost a lot more and will not last as long. I seen many trailer really light but you need to trade them off in about three years or less becasue they will start braking up. Look at the new trailers on the back you can see all the kick and horn marks because they are so thin. Old trailer did not do that unless you hauled horses. You will spend a lot more money buying these trucks and hauling cattle you will never get your return on your money because not many will pay on the weight unless you are loading over 52000 and you will not scale or axel that much. So i can't see no any way to get your money back, not like hauling grain or something when you get paid for the pounds you haul.

So you spec heavier sheeting on the back end of your trailers???The light weightt options that MY salesmen know of are centrifuse drums ,duracast hubs,aluminum long memebrs.Light weight suspensions that are just as durable as any sold just a little more money.I have used ALL    AVAILABLE light weightt options on ALL trailers I have ever bought -----seems odd that in a business that you get paid on weight that the subject is even open for debate-----look at it this way maybe the overload fine will be less with a lightewr weight truck and trailer     

reread my post--------The 1992 involved the 1/4 rail  not the new equipment.You really need to walk into a pete dealer and just walk thru the trucks looking at tag weights----look at new and used .I am not even going into the pdf trucks as I refuse to support the communistic crap being shoved down our throats for emmisions.But you can spec a high16000 lb walkin pete with over 500 horse power  on 24 lows--------Just flag down any milk hauler and look at their tag weight-------then the same goes for the trailers go to a dealer and spec one like people who haul weight over scales spec trailers-------------------everyone on this forum is allways making freight hauler comments so maybe they ought to talk to their local freight hauler owner op and see how they spec equipment 

What I was intending to mean is I can load 52500 lbs legal in Wy. and Co.( if everythings perfect on snow, ice, mud and a reasonably clean trailer.) If I turn a bill in to about half of ther shippers we haul for I allways get a phone call about the prorate and why we did this. The other problem we have getting a prorate is on pasture hauls where we don't have a good weight going off of a estimated weight. I though if I would put air scales on the truck and trailer this would help, but no such luck.  Leaving cattle in the pen the only thing that does over here is get you fired and a very poor reputation. When a company deals with ranchers more than cattle brokers it a little different.

What I was intending to mean is I can load 52500 lbs legal in Wy. and Co.( if everythings perfect on snow, ice, mud and a reasonably clean trailer.) If I turn a bill in to about half of the shippers we haul for I always get a phone call about the prorate and why we did this. The other problem we have getting a prorate is on pasture hauls where we don't have a good weight going off of a estimated weight. I though if I would put air scales on the truck and trailer this would help, but no such luck.  Leaving cattle in the pen the only thing that does over here is get you fired and a very poor reputation. When a company deals with ranchers more than cattle brokers it a little different.

            I like all this talk about the heavy trucks, its funny most of the people who complain about weight probably have a reasonably light truck and trailer. Myself i run a 2000 379 long hood 63' bunk 500 isx 18sp and a 2008 48' merritt,cleaned out full of fuel 32,000lbs. OH DID I MENTION CLEANED OUT !!!!!!! I see a lot of people complaining about empty weight, look in your trailer have you cleaned it yet this month!!!!

 I drive an '09 Pete 386 pulling a 53' Wilson.  Cleaned out with a half-tank of fuel I'm 37,500lbs.  I load 62,500lbs but only go through SD scales and I'm legal there.

On a side note, I have another truck that I can hook onto an old 43' Merrit.  Anybody think that I could I get 48-50,000lbs in that trailer?

i think if you have all these problems maybe you should go back to being a door swingin freighthauler an haul legal an make your 80 cents a mile ((real cow truckers don't cross scales loaded or empty)))

you talk about REAL------you obviously stay out of the midwest and never run accross a set of portables------------------then your second comment about the money per mile is another fallacy as we still bump a few docks as well,this dock bumping is done with lite empty weight as well,If the load pays a flat rate they dont load a pound over 79500 gross weight so once again your point has failed to be made to me 

not to make anyone mad, but we are cowhaulers. not like we have got a reputation for doin anything legal anyway. buy the truck and trailer you want and go haul cattle. i have a 2000 pete 275 wb stamped weight 17280 lbs and i pull a 1994 wilson 50' pot. full of fuel i am around 34-34500 lbs. i haul for some guys that load me close as they can to legal and one guy packs the trailer as full as he can get it. but he signs a mortality release form my insurance man gave me. i am not paying for dead cattle because he chooses to pack the trailer on a 90 degree day.  but it is what it is, till we stand togethor as one and the cut-throats cut their own throats and we take control of our own future, cattle buyers will continue to do as they please. my granddad told me one time," there are only four things more crooked than a cattle buyer- politicians, lawyers, used cardealers and missouri backroads." happy truckin gents.

 L O L   Sounds like you have some  exp. in .80 freight  L O L   you more full of sh*t then you trailer  but thanks for the laugh

I dont know what you guys are complaining about. I never got caught overweight or dodging scales. Cuz i can easily haul a 48000- 50000 load and still be legal.  And yes my truck is speced right to be light. Full of fuel im just at 31000.  The guy i work for has heavier trucks but we all know how to get around scales when were over weight. Apparently some people need to learn how to read a map.

You make me laugh------its only a matter of time before you get busted -----maps cant tell you something you dont see.With a majority of the states putting weights and measures in the hands of state troopers (which the last I knew  were MOBILE)One truck that can legal 50000 in a group of other trucks that cant is only a temporary decoy

Do you always have a washed out trailer and no fuel? You said you can haul 50000 and be legal, but them you say your truck weighs 31000.

Hey hand....if you would open your eyes and read that fella's post, it would answer your question better than you asked it.  He said he can haul 48-50000.  If he is full of fuel and weighin 31000 that means he can haul 49000.  Low on fuel and washed would probably mean 50000 would work.  And if he had a few loads of shit on the trailer yet then 48000 might be it.  Looks to me like he described himself and possible situations pretty good so I have no idea what or why you're questioning him....other than just being an annoying idiot.

Always washed out both tanks full.

So how can you be legal with 50000 and be under 80000  if you truck weighs 31000

I dont care what you do in cattle hauling. If you never take chances, never go around scales, never load heavy, never take a Load that doesnt pay quite as well as others you wont get far in this buisness. It sucks that it has to be that way but it is. There arent enought people willing to do enough to change it and there are too many cut throat fly by night truckers screwing things up. So you have to make the best of it. It pisses me off when I see these guys on here talking about how the guys that go around scales are stupid because they are gonna get caught and the guys that take backhauls are stupid because they are screwing up the rates and on and on. If you guys have been in buisness for very long you are no better because you didnt get that way by doing everything by the book.

This is a humorous subject to me.  I was tired of the annoying overweight warnings i was getting at the scales with the little trailer.  So I decided to get bigger trailers(aka more axles). That one wasnt big enough so I upgraded again.  Then the next thing you know I have the biggest trailers in my region and I am still not happy.  I weigh out full of fuel and clean at 37K and can load 69K LEGALLY.  Of course thats only with a few state area.  The BEST part of having more loading capacity is that you don't have to wash out EVERY load.  You can skip a few and still be legal.  Not many buyers actually get you the 69K anyway. 

Happy cattle taste better.

Cuz of the way my truck is speced out son.   Just gotta know how to work son.  Yes the chromed out Petes and KWs are nice but chrome doesnt always get home.

the cruel hand of fate is making a whacking off motion with that last post

I wouldnt really brag about the 1000 lbs son maybe move on up for bragging rights on 4 or 5000 but not a 1000