Simplify Your Oversize/Overweight Loads
The escort flag vehicle operator must warn the traveling public when any of the following conditions exists:
See the Special Escort Requirements section for manufactured housing and portable building escorts. Escort requirements for most loads and permit types are listed below.
Dimension |
Measurement |
Number
and Placement of Escort(s) |
Width |
Exceeding
14' to 16' |
1
Front – two-lane highway |
1
Rear - divided highway |
||
Exceeding
16' |
1
Front and 1 Rear – all roads |
|
Height |
Exceeding
17' |
1
Front – equipped with height pole |
Exceeding
18' |
1
Front and 1 Rear – all roads |
|
1
Front - equipped with height pole |
||
Length |
Exceeding
110' to 125' |
1
Front – two-lane highway |
1
Rear - divided highway |
||
Exceeding
125' |
1
Front and 1 Rear – all roads |
|
Front
overhang exceeds 20' |
1
Front - two-lane highway |
|
1
Rear – four or more lane highway |
||
Rear
overhang exceeds 20' |
1
Rear – all roads |
If a load exceeds escort requirements in two dimensions, front and rear escorts are required. For example, if a load is 16-feet wide and 112-feet long, one escort is required for the width and one escort is required for the length. This rule does not apply if the two dimensions are length and overhang.
Overlength loads may convoy and share escorts under the following conditions:
Each permitted load in the convoy must:
Escort vehicles are required to be a single unit with a gross vehicle weight of not less than 1,000 pounds and not more than 10,000 pounds. Escort flag vehicles must be equipped as follows:
An escort flag vehicle must have two flashing amber lights or one rotating amber beacon of not less than eight inches in diameter fixed to the roof of the escort flag vehicle. The light must be visible from all sides of the escort flag vehicle.
Starting Sept. 1, 2019, escort flag vehicles may be equipped with alternating or flashing blue and amber lights.
An escort flag vehicle must display a sign on either the roof of the vehicle or the front and/or rear of the vehicle with the words "OVERSIZE" or "WIDE LOAD." The sign must be:
Warning flags must be made of red or orange fluorescent material and at least 12-inches square. Flags should be securely mounted on a staff or securely fastened to at least one corner to the widest extremities of the overwidth vehicle and placed at the rear of an overlength vehicle or vehicle with a rear overhang in excess of four feet.
An escort flag vehicle must maintain two-way communications with the permitted vehicle and other escort flag vehicles involved with the movement of the permitted vehicle.
Any permitted vehicle that exceeds 17-feet in height must have a front escort flag vehicle equipped with a height pole made of nonconductive metal to accurately measure overhead obstructions.
Manufactured housing and portable buildings have special escort requirements when moved under the provisions of permit types specific to these load types.
The number of required escorts and escort placement are as follows:
A manufactured house over 12 feet wide must have one rotating amber beacon not less than eight inches in diameter mounted somewhere on the roof at the rear of the manufactured house. Or, instead of a roof beacon, two five-inch flashing amber lights may be mounted approximately six feet from ground level at the rear corners of the manufactured house.
The towing vehicle is required to have one rotating amber beacon not less than eight inches in diameter mounted on the top of the cab. These beacons are to be operational and luminous during any permitted move over the highway.
An official law enforcement motorcycle may be used as a primary escort flag vehicle for a permitted vehicle traveling within the limits of an incorporated city if a highway patrol officer, sheriff, duly authorized deputy or municipal police officer operates the motorcycle.
An escort motorcycle must maintain two-way radio communications with the permitted vehicle and other escort vehicles involved with the movement of the permitted vehicle.
Source of information: https://www.txdmv.gov/oversize-weight-permits/escort-and-equipment-requirements
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