Weigh station bypass programs have become an important part of the trucking industry. Nothing is more frustrating than delays due to long scale lines and unexpected inspections.
While fleets are certainly benefiting from bypass solutions, there are some common misconceptions about how the bypass programs work. By sharing this information and helping fleets understand the program and the technology, we hope to provide efficiency, safety, and employee satisfaction as well as increasing your opportunity for increased bypass opportunities.
Here are the Top 4 Bypass Misconceptions
- Bypass programs result in more inspections
Bypass programs reward carriers with good safety ratings. Their goal is to focus on unsafe vehicles while allowing safer fleets with good ISS (Inspection Selection System) scores to bypass inspection.
- Bypass programs are used to track drivers
Secure mobile technology is used to ensure no sensitive information is delivered to law enforcement. Bypass technology is designed to only screen for vehicle-specific criteria such as ISS score, license plate, VIN, USDOT number and the time a truck passes a weigh station. This information is highly regulated and does not leave the station.
- Bypass programs require a transponder
Some bypass programs do utilize transponder-based technology. However, more advanced solutions, like Drivewyze, are completely transponder-free and integrated with the Geotab Drive App. This technology is GPS-based and provides drivers notifications 2 miles and 1 mile ahead of the weigh station, allowing vehicles to stay on the mainline without slowing down if they qualify.
- Bypass programs use CSA scores for screening
The only safety score screened by the bypass program is the carrier’s ISS score. The ISS score is an aggregate of a fleet’s Compliance, Accountability, and Safety (CSA) scores providing law enforcement with a more comprehensive profile of a fleet’s safety. A great ISS score will typically result in more bypasses and a software-based bypass service such as Drivewyze can help improve that score over time, offering additional opportunities for bypass.
