New Jersey Pilot Cars / Escort Vechicle Requirements

When Escort vehicles are required: 

One escort vehicle shall be required when the width, including load, exceeds 14 feet and/or when the length exceeds 100 feet. 

Two escort vehicles shall be required when the width, including load, exceeds 16 feet and/or when the length exceeds 120 feet. 

Pursuant to the provisions above, one additional escort vehicle shall be required when an oversize vehicle or combination of vehicles has been granted a waiver, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:18-1.11(e), and is traveling during the nighttime hours of sunset to sunrise. 

When the height, including load, exceeds 14 feet, the provisions of N.J.S.A. 39:4-28 will apply.

When one escort vehicle is required, it shall precede the escorted vehicles on highways having less than four traffic lanes and shall follow the escorted vehicles on highways having four or more traffic lanes. 

When two escort vehicles are required, one shall precede the escorted vehicles and one shall follow the escorted vehicles. 

When three escort vehicles are required, one shall precede the escorted vehicles, one shall follow the escorted vehicles and one shall travel in the adjacent lane alongside the escorted vehicles on all highways having three or more lanes. When three or more highway lanes are not available, the third escort vehicle shall also follow the escorted vehicles. 

The preceding escort vehicle shall maintain a distance of from 200 feet minimum to 500 feet maximum from the lead vehicle of the escorted combination of vehicles. 

The following escort vehicle shall maintain a distance of from 100 feet minimum to 250 feet maximum from the rearmost vehicle of the escorted combination of vehicles. 

Escort Vehicles Requirements

Warning signs 

• The minimum size of a warning sign shall be six feet wide by one foot high. 
• The term "WIDE LOAD" or "OVERSIZE LOAD" shall be displayed on the sign in black letters of 10 inches minimum height on a yellow background. 
• When two escort vehicles are required, a warning sign shall be displayed on the front of the preceding escort vehicle and on the rear of the following escort vehicle. 
• When only one escort vehicle is required, a warning sign shall be displayed on the rear of the rearmost vehicle in the escorted combination and on the front of the escort vehicle if it is preceding, or on the front of the lead vehicle of the escorted combination and on the rear of the escort vehicle if it is following. 
• When no escort vehicles are required, warning signs shall be displayed on the front and rear of the oversize vehicle combination. 

Warning flags 

• A warning flag shall be red in color and its minimum size shall be 18 inches square. 
• Warning flags shall be displayed on the two front corners of the preceding escort vehicle. 
• Warning flags shall be displayed on the two rear corners of the following escort vehicle. 
• Warning flags shall be placed at the four corners of an oversize vehicle. 
• When a vehicle, whether oversize or not, is transporting a load which projects beyond the sides of the vehicle the warning flags shall be placed at the four corners of the load rather than the vehicle. 
• If the load projects only beyond the rear of the transporting vehicle, two flags shall be placed on the two rear corners of the load. 
• If the projecting load is round or some other shape without distinguishable corners, a warning flag shall be placed at the outermost extremity of the load on each side and/or to the rear of the vehicle. 

Headlamps and Taillamps 

Low beam headlamps and red taillamps shall be illuminated on all escort vehicles, the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle. 

Source of information: https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/about/rules/documents/13-18-Current.pdf