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Florida Pilot Cars / Escort Vechicle Requirements

When escort vehicles are required:

If the load exceeds…

 

Width

Length

Height

You must have

8 ft. 6 in.

65 ft.

13 ft. 6 in.

Permit

12 ft.

 

95 ft.

14 ft. 6 in.

One escort

14 ft.

 

250 ft.*

16 ft.*

Two escorts

*One escort must be Law Enforcement Escort


Escort vehicles requirements:

Escorts accompanying overdimensional loads as required by permit or pursuant to subsection 14-26.012(6), (7) or (8), F.A.C., are limited to:

  • Law enforcement escorts.
  • Escorts qualified by another state, provided that the other state has equal or more stringent standards as those required by Florida for qualified escorts and the escort has been qualified or re-qualified within the past four years.
  • Qualified escorts:
    1. Must be at least 18 years of age and must possess a valid driver’s license in the state or jurisdiction in which he or she is a resident.
    2. Must have successfully completed a minimum eight hour defensive driving course as provided by a National Safety Council qualified instructor or hold a currently valid Commercial Driver’s License (Class A, B, or C). The instructor shall not be an employee of the employing escort service.
    3. Must have successfully completed a minimum eight hour pilot/escort flagging course provided by a Department vendor.
    4. Shall maintain in his or her possession, for prompt presentation upon request by a law enforcement person or Department representative, a copy or copies of the qualification document or documents verifying completion of the required qualification courses.
    5. Shall be requalified every four years by successfully completing a four hour refresher course provided by a Department vendor.

Escort Vehicle and Equipment Requirements for Qualified Escorts.

a. Escort Vehicles.

  1. Escort vehicle(s) must be a single unit vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of at least 2,000 pounds and less than 26,000 pounds. The vehicle must be properly licensed, registered, and operated by a qualified escort.
  2. Identification signs or placards showing the name of the company or the owner or driver of the escort vehicle must be in a conspicuous place on both the right and left sides of the escort vehicle. The signs or placards shall be at least 8 inches × 12 inches, or contain the equivalent square inches, and shall also contain the telephone number of the owner or driver plainly legible and visible to the motoring public.
  3. All escort vehicles must be equipped with high visibility rotating, strobe or flashing class 2 amber warning lights mounted so as to be seen by all approaching traffic at a distance of at least 500 feet.
  4. Escort vehicles shall display either a bumper mounted or a roof mounted yellow sign (or may display both) reading “OVERSIZE LOAD” with black letters with a minimum brush stroke of 10 inches high and 1 1/2 inches wide, which must be visible from front and rear.
  5. Two flags, either red or fluorescent orange in color, which must be at least 18 inches × 18 inches, shall be mounted at approximately a 40 to 70 degree angle on the escort vehicle’s roof rack.

b. On Board Equipment.

During escort operations, all escort vehicles shall have on board the following equipment and such equipment shall be in working order:

  1. Operable two-way electronic communications. Qualified escorts must have a method for maintaining verbal communication with the driver of the permitted load at all times during movements.
  2. One Class ABC fire extinguisher, minimum five pounds.
  3. “STOP” and “GO” or “STOP” and “SLOW” paddles a minimum 18 inches in diameter with 6 inch high letters.
  4. A high visibility, fluorescent class 2 safety vest for flagging during daytime hours or a high visibility, fluorescent class 3 safety vest when flagging at night.
  5. One hand-held flag, either red or fluorescent orange in color, which must be at least 12 inches × 12 inches.
  6. Two warning signs (yellow with black lettering) with a minimum brush stroke of 12 inches high and 1 1/2 inches wide. Each warning sign shall have a total dimension of not less than 7 feet long by 18 inches high. These signs shall be used in the event the permitted vehicle or load loses its sign(s).
  7. Three 36 inch traffic cones. Traffic cones must be reflective if used at night.
  8. For over height loads, the lead vehicle must have a height indicator, i.e., height pole, used to determine vertical clearance. This device must be manufactured of non-conductive and non-destructive material and must be positioned at a height of at least 6 inches above the height of the load being escorted.

Escort Functions.

Escorts are required to watch and direct traffic or the load to ensure public safety. Escorts may, when actively escorting permitted loads, perform necessary traffic control functions as defined in section 316.079(2), F.S. No escort or escort vehicle may be used to perform any other function that could distract from the escort responsibilities. The total number of escorts required will be determined based upon safety considerations. If one escort is required for an over width load, the escort shall precede the load on two lane highways or follow the load on four lane divided highways. If two escorts are required, one must precede the load and one must follow. If the load is over length only, the escort vehicle shall be in the rear of the load at all times. Escorts shall operate no more than 300 feet in front of or behind the load unless road conditions or permit stipulations dictate otherwise. Escorts equipped with a vertical height indicator must precede the load at a distance which allows the permitted vehicle to take evasive action when approaching overhead obstructions. Escort vehicles in the process of escorting a permitted vehicle or load must proceed through weigh stations and must not bypass such stations. The Permittee is responsible for providing the escort with a copy of the permit prior to the move.

Source of information: https://www.flrules.org

https://www.techtransfer.ce.ufl.edu

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