How Maxi-Load Scale Systems Save You Money

An immediate response to using platform scales in the woods to weigh log trucks is that it saves money on weight fines. Scales will save money on weight fines. However, weight fines are not where the big savings are. Scales also provide indirect savings by making the logging job more cost effective and efficient. Efficiency adds profit. The profit added to a logging job with a set of quality scales will very quickly pay for the scale and show up as extra money in the bank.

The purpose here is to provide a summary of the savings produced by weighing log trailers in the woods as they are loaded. Without a tool to measure what a load of wood weighs, and the knowledge that penalties will result from overloading, underloading by 2000 lbs to 4000 lbs usually occurs. The cost of running the truck is the same whether the trailer is completely loaded or almost loaded. Four direct savings are tied to this point:

1. If a fully loaded truck is 26 tons net and you only loaded 24 tons, then you could have hauled 26 tons for what you paid to haul 24 tons. By light loading you have increased your unit cost per ton to haul wood. For the lowest cost per ton a full load must be carried on every trip. This can easily amount to $15,000 or more per year.
2. Most everyone is paid by the ton mile to haul wood. If a fully loaded truck is 26 tons net and you only load 24 tons, you could have been paid for 26 tons but you only get paid for 24 tons. You have reduced your hauling income by light loading. For the highest hauling income a full load must be carried on every trip. This can easily amount to $17,000 per year.
3. When production is limited to a quota of so many loads per week, scales will maximize your logging income. If you are limited to 50 loads and you haul 24 ton loads instead of 26 ton loads, you will lose the logging income on 100 tons of wood. This can easily amount to $30,000 or more per year.
4. Scales will minimize the direct expense of overweight fines and maintain maximum income at the same time.

Indirect savings include the time spent and extra mileage used to avoid D.O.T. scales. Five extra miles per load @ $1.60 per mile on a 50 load per week job amounts to $20,000 per year. Extra miles of this nature require frequent stops, turns and restarts, all of which add to the maintenance of brakes, clutches, tires, and the increased consumption of fuel. Call today for pricing information.

Maxi-Load Scale Systems
133 Highland Park Drive
Brunswick, GA 31523
Phone: 1-877- 265-1486 or (912) 265-1486  
Fax: (912) 261-0292
Email: sales@maxiload.com