Making the Most of Cargo Escorts and Pilot Car Services

Use cargo escorts and pilot car services to your advantage

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.

 

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.
Try: 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.
Try: 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.
Try: 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.

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