If your firm is shipping an oversize load on the road, it will need to employ a wide load escort. These cargo escorts and pilot car services warn motorists that a hazardous load is sharing the road. The transportation escort services include one or more escort cars, special signage and warning flags. The escort car will have flashing lights and a professional driver.

The wide load escort service also includes pilot car certification and help with permits and trip planning. Wide load escorts are familiar with road conditions and possible obstacles. The oversize escort will travel the entire route with the load, making a pre-planned itinerary a must. Most pilot car services are regional, although some cover the U.S. and Canada. Most charge by the mile, with rates calculated for single and multiple escort vehicles. To learn more about cargo escorts and pilot car services basics, do the following:

1. Find information on pilot car services.

2. Identify oversize escorts available for your route.

3. Compare transportation escort services.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check online sources for cargo escorts and pilot car services

If shipping oversize loads is a regular business occurrence, it's a smart move to learn more about wide load escort services. The key to a successful trip is preparation. Plan your route, making sure there are no off-limit tunnels or similar hindrances. Avoid steep grades and back roads when possible. Your transportation folks also should read the federal and state regulation.

I recommend: Go to the U.S. Department of Transportation website for "Pilot Car Escort Best Practices." The site also contains tips on pre-trip planning and trip documentation. If shipping oversize loads is a regular business occurrence, send your team to the Barney's Pilot Car Equipment website. It can purchase safety equipment used by pilot cars.

Locate trucking escort services

Many trucking escort services cover regional territories, although some have a national scope. Note that states require escort car companies and drivers to be certified in the state. Your company might be able to negotiate deliveries beyond territorial boundaries with your service provider.

I recommend: Nova Permits and Pilot Cars makes locating and completing required documents easy. Register for its service and start the process. For shipping and deliveries in Colorado, Utah and western areas, consider AAA Pilot Car. Note that it provides escort cars, wide load pilot cars and several similar services.

Find full-service pilot car services

Your choice of transportation escort services could be limited by the circumstances of the shipment's origin or destination. For loads crossing state lines, find companies that operate in that territory. If needed, your cargo escorts and pilot car services provider can offer recommendations for freight carriers.

I recommend: Your business can find local and long-distance escort car services at the Professional Pilot Car website. Check availability of service providers according to the states on your route. Hire Roadrunners Pilot Car, a nationwide service for high, wide, long or heavy loads.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Information on state certification should be posted on aoversize load escorts company website. If not, request it by fax.

When transporting large loads, the government requires that you use wide load escorts to warn others on the road of your approach. It is necessary to hire outside cargo escorts and pilot car services to meet the transportation requirements, especially for those businesses that do not regularly transport such loads.

The consumer has many choices when it comes to oversize load escorts. Each state has its own rules and regulations concerning oversize escort, so it is often best to hire your wide load escort locally. The company you hire needs to be licensed for the state in question. There are also national cargo escorts and pilot car services that can provide escort cars in any location. Finally, some companies offer materials to customize your own escort car. If you expect to need a wide load escort on a regular basis, this can be a good option for you.

Keep in mind the following when searching for transportation escort services:

1. You will need to plan ahead in order to meet all state regulations with regard to oversize load escort.

2. Consider customizing your own vehicles as wide load escorts.

3. Search for both local and national transportation escorts.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase customizable wide load signs for your own escort cars

You can customize vehicles using approved wide load signs that are available for purchase online. Be alert that states have different regulations concerning these signs, so check out the rules before you purchase.

I recommend: Blazing Technologies, Inc. sells and installs oversize load signs on your vehicles. They also have information about some states’ regulations concerning such installations.

Check out permits and regulations before you ship oversize loads

All states require the appropriate permits before you ship oversize loads, and the regulations vary slightly from state to state.

I recommend: On the Move Permits specializes in the permitting process and also offers a listing of pilot car services. US Pilot Cars gives the wide load regulations for all 50 states. The US Department of Transportation offers advice on planning to move wide loads.

Find an oversize escort that works in your geographic area

Most wide load escorts operate only in certain states, due to licensing and permitting issues. You can search databases for those companies that work where you are and meet your needs.

I recommend: Professional Pilot Car has an extensive database in which companies are listed for all 50 states, Canada and other countries around the world.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Shop around the different oversize escort companies to get the best rates for your trip.

If your company ships or transports wide loads across our nation's highways, you'll need cargo escorts and pilot car services. The general purpose of the service is safety, and states require your business to use them when loads exceed certain width, height or weight limitations. Get your shipment there safely with pilot car services.

Because oversize escort rules and regulations vary from state to state, make sure the company your business hires is familiar with and holds pilot car certification in the state of your route. If the route crosses several states, it might be best to engage national cargo escorts and pilot car services. Making the most of cargo escorts and pilot car services will require you to keep the following in mind:

1. It is your company's responsibility to have the proper transportation escorts permits.

2. There are local and national wide load escort companies.

3. Wide load escort service costs can vary significantly depending on the load and length of trip.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Analyze the regulations for pilot car services that apply

Have your staff locate and read the national regulations and state guidelines. Then review oversize escorts websites. The websites will have summaries of the states in which the escort companies are already certified. National companies will apply for certificates in any additional states along your route.

I recommend: Your company's first stop should be the U.S. Department of Transportation. You'll find the regulations that apply, as well as trip planning services. View state regulations at Wideloadshipping.com. It updates the regulations database daily. It also can help manage your company's trucking permits.

Locate an oversize load escort for your trip

Occasionally, regular cargo escort services just won't do the job; You'll need oversized or wide load escorts. Your firm will find transportation escort services operating locally and nationally, and logistics will help your company determine which service will work best for your particular oversized cargo needs.

I recommend: Go with Safety Guys Pilot Cars. See its photo gallery for a glimpse of its experiences with unusual escorted loads. Have a load destined for or originating in the southeastern U.S.? Call Graham's Oversize Load Escort Service. It holds pilot car certification from Virginia to Florida to Texas, but will escort your shipment anywhere.

Compare costs for cargo escorts and pilot car services

The costs of pilot car services depends on logistics. How many escort cars, how many miles and how 'difficult' the route are the main cost factors. If your company's load involves several rigs or extraordinary length, you will need (and be charged for) more than one pilot car. The same applies to longer trips and ones that cross mountains, back road and other obstacles. Work with your provider to estimate costs before you sign the contract.

I recommend: Check the bookkeeping pages at Professional Pilot Car for ideas on calculating costs and trip documentation. Contact Beacon Flag Car. It manages a nationwide network of certified escort car drivers, which could save your firm money on a long-haul trip.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  A trip requiring pilot car services should be planned well in advance. Some routes will not be available to certain loads, such as highways through tunnels or narrow streets in cities.

If you are looking to get into the cargo escorts and pilot car services industry or your business is just in need of wide load moving services, there are several important key terms that you should be familiar with.

Cargo escorts and pilot car services provide drivers of specially marked cars, trucks and minivans. In most cases, these drivers lead or follow heavy haul or oversized trucks to keep the truckers safe on the roads.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Oversized load

An oversized load describes any truck load that is greater in length, width and/or height than the legal dimensions set by government regulation.

I recommend: Visit the J.R. Christoni website to learn more about what factors determine an oversized load.

Heavy haul trucking

Heavy haul trucking describes all trucking services that focus on oversized or overweight load transport.

I recommend: Get a good idea of what a heavy haul trucking service does by visiting the Anderson Trucking Services website.

Oversized load sign

There are several types of oversized load signs available for pilot cars and cargo escorts. These signs, made from steel or aluminum, come in a wide variety of sizes and mount to the front, back and top of most vehicles.

I recommend: Blazing Technologies provides descriptions and photos of its steel and aluminum oversized load signs.

High pole

A high pole, also known as a height pole, is a tall metal tube that attaches to a pilot car in order to determine the clearance capacity of high or height loads while in transit.

I recommend: Barney's Pilot Car Equipment provides in-depth descriptions of its high poles along with illustrations and a helpful video.

Escort reciprocity

Escort reciprocity describes when multiple states form an agreement to recognize one another's pilot car certifications. This is especially important to be aware of when moving loads across state lines.

I recommend: The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety describes its own rules about escort reciprocity.

Professional Escort Vehicle Operators Association

The Professional Escort Vehicle Operators Association (PEVOA) is an important resource for anyone needing escort cargo or pilot car services information. The organization, founded in 2006, focuses on the needs of pilot car drivers and the industry as a whole.

I recommend: Learn more about PEVOA at its website.