Discussions about weight may be frowned upon in social spheres, but they’re central to shipping company operations. Reliable weight measurements from a truck scale are critical to multiple priorities within a Cleveland warehousing & distribution center, including:

• Ensuring precise billing
• Maintaining accurate inventory records.
• Meeting regulatory compliance – especially ground transport rules.

Accurate measurements of incoming and outgoing shipments and inventory on our 100,000-pound truck scale are key to providing our Northeast Ohio customers with warehouse and transportation services that are safe, efficient, and cost-effective.

Why Weight Matters in Warehousing & Distribution

Safety is the first reason weight matters in warehousing & distribution.

Every commercial vehicle on the road must meet certain regulatory weight restrictions, depending on its size/number of axels. In Ohio, the maximum gross weight of any commercial vehicle without a permit is 80,000 pounds. (The overweight permit limit is 120,000 pounds.) Regulators recognize that when large trucks exceed these limits, they’re tougher to handle, accelerate faster down inclines, require additional brake space, and are at higher risk of tire blow-outs, rollovers, or loss of steering control. That’s not a safe situation when you’re hauling tens of thousands of pounds in inventory. Strict adherence to regulatory weight limits protects drivers and spares shippers/carriers from potential fines, impoundment, suspensions, higher insurance premiums, and legal action.

Gauging truck weight correctly is also vital to time and cost efficiency. Overloaded trucks are also known to damage cargo. When we weigh outgoing shipments at our Cleveland warehousing & distribution center, we prevent overloading – and help clients reduce the risk of costly damage.

The 100,000-pound truck scale at the warehouse also helps with load verification and load optimization. Warehousing and distribution centers can use the truck scale to verify incoming shipments and match the documented weight information provided by the shipper. That helps ensure the correct quantities of goods are being received. It can also help reduce the turnaround time for shipments.

Warehouse crews can also use the truck scale to help with load planning – especially for shipments involving multiple items or pallets. The weight of a container or trailer needs to be evenly distributed to ensure stability and efficiency. Ultimately, this can help reduce the total number of trips required to move cargo, which can minimize fuel costs and environmental impacts – aligning with the supply chain sustainability goals many companies are now prioritizing.

Weight is also commonly used for billing. Customers are often charged on the basis of the actual weight of their shipments. Utilizing the on-site truck scale helps with accountability with fair and accurate billing. Along those same lines, weight data obtained from the truck scale is often referred to if there’s any type of auditing, compliance reporting, or resolving disputes related to shipment weights.

Quality control is another good reason for utilizing an on-site truck scale. When we have the accurate weight of inventory when it’s both coming and going, we can identify discrepancies in shipments that can arise from incorrect quantities or damaged goods.

On-Site Truck Scale’s Competitive Edge

Given that the need for accurate truck weight is so significant, having an on-site truck scale offers a distinct advantage for our Cleveland warehousing and distribution clients. This eliminates the need for manufacturers, shippers, and carriers to seek external weighing facilities – which saves them both time and resources.

Value-added services like this are one of the many reasons On Time Delivery & Warehouse has been a trusted logistics partner for more than four decades.

For information on utilizing our onsite truck scale, Contact On Time Delivery & Warehouse by calling (440) 826-4630 or send us an email.

Additional Resources:

Compilation of Existing State Truck Size and Weight Limit Laws, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Freight Management & Operations

More Blog Entries:

Upside of Cleveland Flatbed Trucking, Aug. 23, 2023, Cleveland Warehousing & Distribution Blog