[Adopted 12-6-1988]
Objectives of the this article are as follows:
A. 
To prevent excessive road deterioration and decrease accidents due to overweight and/or oversized vehicles.
B. 
To ensure that hazardous materials carried on public highways are safely and legally transported.
C. 
To ensure that commercial vehicles operating on public highways are safely and legally operated.
A. 
Management. The program shall be managed as follows:
(1) 
As necessary, schedule basic and in service scales training.
(2) 
Arrange to obtain and repair scales and related equipment.
(3) 
Schedule the certification of scales equipment as accurate, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and Markets Bureau of Weights and Measures, every six months.
(4) 
Collect and evaluate all necessary statistics on the scales operation.
(5) 
Prepare and forward to the necessary New York State offices any required data and forms.
B. 
Scales teams.
(1) 
When possible, scales teams should consist of two officers.
(2) 
Scales may only be operated by or under the immediate direction of a qualified operator.
(3) 
The scales team is assigned one vehicle, equipped with at least two pairs of certified scales and four leveling blocks.
(4) 
The officer in charge of the scales operation will fill out, or cause to be filled out, the scales program daily log which shall be forwarded on a daily basis to the supervisor of the scales program.
(5) 
The officer in charge shall be responsible for the care and handling of the scales and related equipment.
(6) 
After use in inclement weather, or at any other time necessary, the officer in charge of the scales shall clean and store the scales in a safe, dry place.
(7) 
The scales shall be placed in a charging mode, if necessary.
(8) 
The officer in charge shall inspect the scales and related equipment before and after each day's use for serviceability, and notify the scales supervisor of any required repairs.
(9) 
The officer(s) assigned to operate the scales on a detail or at a Department of Transportation inspection shall wear fatigue uniforms, with cap or hard hat.
(10) 
Scales shall be marked in pairs, and each pair is to be used only with its matching half as marked, and the scales shall be used with each pair used on opposite ends of the same axle.
(11) 
Whenever possible and practical, scale pairs shall be tethered together so as to give axle readings, with readings being taken from the curb side scale(s).
Scales shall be repaired as follows:
A. 
Immediately remove from service any malfunctioning or inoperable scales.
B. 
Notify the supervisor of the scales program of such malfunction.
C. 
When forwarding scales for repair, both scales of a pair must be sent.
D. 
Attach a letter describing, in detail, what the problem is or appears to be.
The procedure for weighing shall be as follows:
A. 
Location.
(1) 
Select a straight, level roadway with a good sight distance, when possible.
(2) 
When possible, select a roadway with wide shoulders sufficient to provide safety and allow off-loading of excess loads.
B. 
Measurements.
(1) 
Use steel tape only.
C. 
Instructions for weighing.
(1) 
Instruct the driver how you want him to drive onto the scales.
(2) 
Make sure all the wheels are on a level surface.
(3) 
When using portable-type scales, place the scales against the tire and make sure the scale has reset itself to zero before the vehicle drives upon the scales.
(4) 
Signal the driver to proceed upon the scales slowly in low gear until the tires reach the correct position on the scales.
(5) 
Do not stand behind the scales as the truck goes up on to the scales, as the scales may be kicked out behind the truck.
(6) 
Tell the driver to release the truck brakes, as the manipulation of the brakes can cause substantial changes in scale readings.
(7) 
Read the weight results, and determine the total gross weight of the vehicle by adding the readings on all axles.
(8) 
After the readings have been taken, tell the driver to proceed slowly off the scales.
(9) 
Arrests for overweight vehicles may be made only by use of an Agriculture and Markets certified scale, and weigh slip in possession of a driver from a weigh station.
(10) 
Issue a uniform traffic ticket for all overweight violations.
(11) 
Complete a commercial traffic violation information for taxation and finance.
(12) 
If a driver refuses to obey your order to pull onto the scales, arrest the driver for failure to comply.
(13) 
You may arrange to have a tow truck tow the vehicle onto the scales.
(14) 
If a vehicle's tires have been deflated, direct the truck to a service area to properly reinflate the tires, then weigh the vehicle.
(15) 
It shall be the policy of the Guilderland Police Department that 5% is allowed before a ticket shall be issued for overload.
A. 
The decision to off-load an overweight vehicle should be based on good judgment and careful consideration of the following factors:
(1) 
Vehicle location with respect to the time of day.
(2) 
Traffic conditions.
(3) 
Weather conditions.
(4) 
Roadside space conditions.
(5) 
Access to public communications.
(6) 
Distance to destination.
(7) 
Route or alternate route to destination.
(8) 
Kind of cargo; special consideration should be given to perishable products, hazardous material, radioactive materials or other kinds of cargo which by their nature tend to be unstable or pose a danger to others.
B. 
When, in the opinion of the officer in charge of the scales team, the off-loading can be accomplished without jeopardizing the officers or other highway users, and all of the above factors have been taken into consideration, the officer in charge will cause the off-loading of an overweight vehicle with a divisible load.