The Missouri State Highway Patrol is shutting down commercial vehicle weigh stations on Interstate 44.

Due to construction, the eastbound station located near Strafford has been shut down to reduce traffic jams, while the westbound station in Conway is already closed. The eastbound weigh station will reopen when the construction is complete in December, but the Highway Patrol plans to eventually phase it out, reported TV station KY3 out of Springfield, Mo.
According to the highway patrol, truckers usually know of shortcuts to get around the scales. Another reason for the closings is lack of manpower.
For many truckers, the closed station means more time on the road and less time in long lines and waiting for inspections. But truckers won’t be able to get by with bigger loads, bad registration, or faulty equipment. The Highway Patrol has mobile units that can weigh and inspect commercial vehicles for everything from how they’re registered to how much cargo they’re carrying. Troopers also say the units will allow them to cover a bigger area. Commercial vehicle officers feel mobile weigh stations will help them be more effective overall.
Truckers on I-44 will still face two stops in the cities of Joplin and St. Clair.