What does a truck load and axle check cover?
A pre-departure load check confirms three things before a truck leaves the yard: no axle group is over its limit, the gross weight is within its limit, and the load is secured so it cannot shift. Gross weight alone is not enough. A load placed too far forward or back can overload one axle group while the total looks fine, and a load that moves on the road changes the axle loads after the check.
This truck load and axle check form in Excel puts the whole check on one printable page: trip and vehicle details, the load, the weight on each axle group against your limits, the gross weight with an optional weighbridge cross-check, a 14-item securing checklist, a GO or HOLD result, and signatures from the loader and the driver.
How to use the truck load check form
- Enter your limits on My limits: one row per vehicle configuration, with the limit for each axle group, the gross limit, the source and the date you verified them.
- Fill in the trip on the Check form and choose the configuration. The limits fill in, and you can type over one for a special permit and note why.
- Weigh each axle group and enter the measured weights. The form shows the margin, the use of each limit and the gross weight.
- Work through the securing checklist and answer every item Yes, No or N/A.
- Read the result, sign and file the form with the trip documents, then add a line to the Check log.
To plan where to place a load before you start loading, or to check whether a shipment fits by weight, volume and pallets, use the truck axle load calculator.
Where your axle weight limits come from
The form contains no legal limits. The limit that applies to an axle group can come from the rules of the competent authority for the road, a permit, the vehicle or trailer manufacturer's plate, or the tire load rating. Use the lowest one that applies, write its source on My limits and record the date you last verified it. Rules change, so check current requirements with the competent authority before you rely on a limit.
How the form decides GO or HOLD
The warning level leaves room for scale tolerance and for weight that shifts as fuel burns or the load settles. Set it on the Settings sheet.
Worked example: an overloaded drive axle group
A tractor and tri-axle trailer is weighed before departure. The limits are example values entered by the operator, not legal limits.
| Axle group | Weight against limit | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Steer axle | 6,600 of 7,100 kg: 93.0%, 500 kg margin | OK |
| Drive axle group | 18,400 of 18,000 kg: 102.2%, 400 kg over | OVER |
| Trailer axle group 1 | 23,100 of 24,000 kg: 96.3% | Near limit |
| Gross weight | 48,100 of 48,000 kg: 100.2%, 100 kg over | OVER |
| Weighbridge cross-check | 48,200 kg, 100 kg (0.2%) above the sum | OK |
All securing items are Yes or N/A, but the result is HOLD. Moving weight back helps the drive group, yet the trailer group has only 900 kg of room and the gross is still over, so at least 100 kg has to come off. The supervisor writes the corrective action, the truck is re-weighed, and it leaves only after a new GO.
Common mistakes in truck load checks
- Checking only the gross weight. One axle group can be over while the total is within its limit.
- Using the highest limit. A permit, a tire rating or a road can set a lower limit than the vehicle plate.
- Weighing on uneven ground. A truck that is not level moves weight between groups.
- Not re-weighing after a fix. Moving pallets changes every group, not only the one that was over.
- Ticking the checklist from the cab. Walk around the load and look at each strap, edge and door.
- Leaving the limit source blank. Without it, nobody can tell whether a limit is still current.
Limits of a paper truck load check
The form is only as accurate as the weights entered and the limits you set. It records one moment before departure: weight can shift on the road, and fuel burn changes axle loads during the trip. It does not measure dimensions or check permits for you. It is a working record for your team, not legal advice.