Owner-Operator Mark Welch Receives More Weigh Station Bypass Opportunities

For 44 years, Mark Welch has been behind the wheel of a big rig hauling freight across America. For 30 of those years, he has contracted with a local company out of Bangor, Maine, which was recently acquired by a large carrier. As a contractor, Welch typically hauls paper products from Maine to the Midwest or the Southeast and backhauls general freight and food products upon returning to Maine.

With as much driving experience as Welch has, he takes pride in his safe driving record and the work that he does. He currently has more than 3.7 million incident-free miles and continues to drive the same International 9400 truck he’s owned since 2000, which now has over 3.2 million miles on the odometer.

The Challenge

According to Welch, a notable change in the trucking industry since he started driving in the 1980’s was the transition from paper logs to electronic logging devices.

While the ELD mandate has helped fleets consolidate and better manage information to help with operations, Welch attests he’s seen some negative results with the mandate. Several years ago, Welch began using a transponder- based weigh station bypass service to reduce the amount of downtime he experienced from pulling into weigh stations. With a good safety score, he expected to receive opportunities to bypass many of the weigh stations he typically passes along his routes. But, after a few months of using the service, he learned that many of the weigh stations he frequently passed weren’t enabled to grant him bypasses.

“I quickly came to realize that the coverage of the service I was using was not very well aligned with my routes,” Welch recalled. “I was only getting a couple of bypasses per month, so the ROI I got from the service wasn’t really paying off.”

The Solution

In contemplating whether to continue using a weigh station bypass service, Welch discussed his experience with a few of his friends who were using the Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) and raved about the service. According to Welch, his friends believed the number of bypass opportunities they were receiving was making a significant difference in reducing downtime. They also liked that they could use the service through their phones or ELD versus having a transponder in their trucks.

The Result

During Welch’s PreClear trial period, he continued to use the other weigh station bypass service to maximize bypass opportunities and compare how both worked. It didn’t take long for Welch to start noticing more bypass opportunities granted through PreClear.

“When the trial started, I immediately began to see a difference in the frequency of notifications I received on my phone from Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) letting me know I was cleared to bypass upcoming weigh station locations,” said Welch. “When the trial ended, I had a large enough sample size to know that the ROI for subscribing to PreClear would be well worth it.” According to Welch, since switching to Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze), he’s increased the number of granted bypass opportunities he receives each month from just a couple to more than a dozen.

Welch uses his phone to access Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) to manage his personal Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) account. In addition to reducing downtime associated with waiting at weigh station sites, he claims another perk of receiving bypasses is a slight boost in overall fuel economy numbers. “Any time you have to slow a fully loaded truck down and get back up to highway speeds, it’s not good for a truck’s fuel economy, so I’m sure each time I bypass a station that helps with my mpg numbers over the long run,” said Welch.

With pressure from drivers to move freight as safely and efficiently as possible, Welch is a firm believer that adding PreClear is an easy way for other owner-operators and company drivers to reduce unnecessary downtime.

“I recently recommended it to a friend, and they’re really enjoying it. For what the cost is and what you get in return, I think most drivers can benefit by using a bypass service like Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze).”

FAQs

Is Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) worth it for owner-operators with strong safety scores? Any real ROI examples?

Yes. In this case study, an owner-operator with a strong safety record switched from a transponder-based service to Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) and went from only a couple of bypasses per month to more than a dozen. That increase cut unnecessary stops and delays and delivered clear operational value, leading him to subscribe after a trial. He also noted a slight improvement in fuel economy.

Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) vs a transponder-based bypass service: which gives more bypasses on Midwest and Southeast corridors?

For the Maine, Midwest–Southeast lanes in this story, Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) delivered more bypass opportunities. The driver found many stations on his routes weren’t enabled for his transponder service, while PreClear produced frequent clear-to-bypass notifications and over a dozen bypasses per month.

How does a phone or ELD-based weigh station bypass app work compared to a windshield transponder?

A phone or ELD-based app like Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) sends in-cab notifications that tell you when you’re cleared to bypass enabled weigh stations, no windshield transponder required. You can manage your account on your device and receive alerts along your route. In the case study, the driver used his phone to run PreClear and preferred it over hardware.

Real results: How many weigh station bypasses per month did an owner-operator see after switching to Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze)?

He increased from just a couple of bypasses per month to more than a dozen after switching to Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze). This provided enough evidence during a trial to justify a paid subscription.

Does bypassing weigh stations help fuel economy and reduce downtime for long-haul trucks?

Yes. Fewer pull-ins and slowdowns reduce delays and help a truck maintain steadier speeds, which supports better fuel efficiency. The owner-operator in this story reported less downtime and a slight improvement in mpg after receiving more bypass opportunities with PreClear.

What’s a practical way to trial Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) while keeping my current bypass service so I can compare results?

Run a Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) trial alongside your existing service, just as the owner-operator did. Track notifications and granted bypasses on your regular routes, then compare monthly totals and time saved. Use that sample to decide which delivers better ROI for your lanes.

If I run from Maine to the Midwest or Southeast, which bypass option aligns better with those routes?

In this case, Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) aligned better with those corridors, granting far more bypass opportunities than a transponder-based service. The driver learned many stations he passed weren’t enabled for his transponder, while PreClear covered those routes more effectively. Results can vary by carrier score and lane mix, but similar runs may see the same pattern.

After the ELD mandate, how can drivers offset time lost to weigh station stops?

Use a weigh station bypass service that runs on your phone or ELD, such as Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze), to reduce unnecessary pull-ins. With a solid safety score, you can receive more bypasses and keep freight moving. The owner-operator profiled used this approach to cut delays and maintain efficiency.

Tools for truck drivers to reduce weigh station delays without installing transponder hardware.

Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze) operates on a smartphone or ELD, so no windshield transponder is needed. It provides clear-to-bypass notifications at enabled sites and lets you manage your account on your device. This approach helped the featured driver cut time spent at weigh stations.

Owner-operator testimonials on Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze): what changed for efficiency, downtime, and fuel use?

The owner-operator in this story reported more than a dozen bypasses per month after switching to Weigh Station Bypass (Formerly Drivewyze), compared to only a couple before. He experienced less downtime and a modest improvement in fuel economy due to fewer slowdowns and accelerations. The trial results were strong enough that he subscribed and now recommends the service to peers.