Tare weight

Tare (pronEng|tɛər) weight, sometimes called unladen weight, is the weight of an empty vehicle or container. By subtracting it from the gross weight (laden weight), the weight of the goods carried (the net weight) may be determined. This can be useful in computing the cost of the goods carried for purposes of taxation (sometimes called a tariff) or for tolls related to barge, rail, road, or other traffic, especially where the toll will vary with the value of the goods carried (eg tolls on the Erie Canal). Tare weight is often published upon the sides of railway cars to facilitate the computation of the load carried.

The difference between 'taring' and 'zeroing' a scale before weighing is still unknown as nobody saw fit to explain such things. Many scales have both a 'zero' and a 'tare' function. Seeing as tare seems to zero the scale just as zeroing it would, the reason for both being present is somewhat confusing for most who encounter them. Confusions of this sort are said to be responsible for an almost 3% loss of production in most factories accross the westen world.