Transducer Load Cell Scales and the Trucking Industry

In the current economy, businesses are always on the lookout for ways to save money on operating costs. With increased regulation and fuel costs, the motor carrier industry in particular is struggling to maintain a profit. Higher labor costs are also a factor in tight profit margins for the trucking industry. Motor carriers can help fatten their bottom line by utilizing transducers to accurately control load weights and avoid penalties for oversize loads.

Accurate weight measurements are critical for trucking. Load cell and transducer scales are an effective method of monitoring load weight. The same technology that is used by truck weigh stations can be used at loading facilities to assure compliance with load limits. Accurate load weight is also important in calculating freight rates.

There are numerous other ways the trucking industry is using load cell scales. Information about Transducer Techniques Inc. and other websites that supply commercial load cell scales is available on the internet. Motor carriers who familiarize themselves with the many uses of scales in their industry should see decreased labor and fuel costs.

On-board scales help control tipping fees for the waste hauling industry. Trucks that pick up roll-off containers can be equipped with electronic scales to measure the load weight when tipped. Having on-board scales assures that the landfill scale is accurate. Roll-off customers are less likely to dispute charges when the load’s weight has been confirmed. This saves staff time dealing with weight disputes.

The timber hauling industry is another sector where on-board electronic scales have proven highly useful. In many states, timber loads require special oversize load permits due to their length and weight. By using a load cell scale on-board, it’s possible to make sure the truck is at the maximum capacity for the permit. This can decrease permit costs and save on driver labor costs. Full loads also decrease fuel costs by decreasing the number of necessary loads.

Long-haul truckers can also benefit from the technology. Not only can they avoid overweight fees along the road, they can also be assured of a full load. On-board load cell scales take the guesswork out of determining if the truck is loaded to full weight capacity. They also save time because it is unnecessary to leave the dock to visit a certified scale to determine the load’s weight.

The aggregate hauling industry is also increasingly taking advantage of the benefits of this technology. As in other branches of trucking, full legal loads save operating expenses. By carrying the maximum legal load on each trip, labor and fuel costs are reduced. Larger loads decrease the time needed to complete jobs hauling construction or other debris.

Load cell scales are now sufficiently advanced that they are increasingly being installed in highways. Embedded sensors allow at-speed monitoring of load weight. This saves time for the driver and decreases labor costs for the monitoring agency. At-speed weighing also saves fuel and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from trucks idling in line to be weighed.