61-10-141. Officers authorized to weigh vehicles and require removal of excessive loads -- definition. (1) (a) A peace officer, officer of the highway patrol, or employee of the department of transportation may weigh any vehicle regulated by 61-10-101 through 61-10-104 and 61-10-106 through 61-10-110, except recreational vehicles, travel trailers, or motor homes, by means of either portable scales used on an engineered site or stationary scales. The peace officer, officer of the highway patrol, or employee of the department of transportation may require that the vehicle be driven to the nearest stationary scales or engineered site for use of portable scales if those stationary scales or an engineered site is within 2 miles.

(b) If it is determined in the weighing process that the maximum allowable weights specified in 61-10-101 through 61-10-104 and 61-10-106 through 61-10-110 have been exceeded, the peace officer, officer of the highway patrol, or employee of the department of transportation may then require the driver to unload at a designated facility that portion of the load necessary to decrease the weight of the vehicle to conform to the maximum allowable weights specified in 61-10-101 through 61-10-104 and 61-10-106 through 61-10-110. If the excess weight does not exceed 10,000 pounds, an excess weight permit may be issued in accordance with 61-10-121. The permit authorizes the driver of the excess weight load to proceed to a designated facility where the load can be safely reduced to legal limits.

(2) Commodities and material unloaded as required by this section must be cared for by the owner or operator of the vehicle at the risk of that owner or operator. Commodities or material unloaded as required by this section may not be left on the highway right-of-way.

(3) The department of transportation may establish, maintain, and operate weigh stations, either intermittently or on a continuous schedule, and may, except for trucks exempted by department administrative rule, require all trucks and commercial motor vehicles of 26,000 pounds GVW or greater to enter for the purpose of weighing and inspection for compliance with all laws pertaining to their operation and safety requirements. The department may require vehicles over 10,000 pounds, except those exempted by department administrative rule, to be inspected and weighed by portable scale crews when the portable scales are used on an engineered site.

(4) For the purposes of this section, "engineered site" means:

(a) a turnout designed and constructed by the department of transportation that has indents in the pavement to level portable scales; or

(b) a site where leveling pads can be used in strict accordance with all of the manufacturer's manuals and specifications.