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Pilot cars

626 facts from 3 places, each quoted from the agency that sets it.

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General

73 topics

Load width requiring an escort (Measures)

Minimum overall width of the vehicle or load, in metres, at or above which at least one escort vehicle is required.

  • New York
    3.66 m (12′)

    For two-lane highways.

  • Ontario
    4 to 5 m (13′ 1.5″ to 16′ 5″)

    General rule 5 m (16′ 5″), with 9 other cases.

  • Quebec
    3.1 to 4.4 m (10′ 2″ to 14′ 5″)

    Across 4 cases, each with its own conditions.

Overhang requiring an escort (Measures)

Minimum front or rear overhang of the load or vehicle beyond the main body, in metres, at or above which at least one escort vehicle is required.

  • New York
    3.05 m (10′)

    For two-lane highways.

  • Ontario
    4.65 m (15′ 3″)

    Across 3 cases, each with its own conditions.

  • Quebec
    2 to 6 m (6′ 6.5″ to 19′ 8″)

    Across 4 cases, each with its own conditions.

Load length requiring an escort (Measures)

Minimum overall length of the vehicle or load, in metres, at or above which at least one escort vehicle is required.

  • New York
    24.4 m (80′)

    For two-lane highways.

  • Ontario
    36.8 to 45.8 m (120′ 7″ to 150′ 1″)

    General rule 36.8 m (120′ 7″), with 3 other cases.

  • Quebec
    17 to 30 m (55′ 9.5″ to 98′ 5″)

    Across 4 cases, each with its own conditions.

Escort vehicle required (Yes or no)

Whether at least one escort vehicle is required to accompany a vehicle or combination under the stated conditions.

  • New York

    Yes

    For vehicle/load meets the criteria of (b) and (c) above dictate a front and rear escort; Two escort vehicles are required. 2 more cases.

  • Ontario

    Yes

    For width of 5 m and more. 28 more cases.

  • Quebec

    Yes

    For Condition N; a rear escort vehicle is required. 14 more cases.

Load height requiring an escort (Measures)

Minimum overall height of the vehicle or load, in metres, at or above which at least one escort vehicle is required.

  • New York
    4.27 m (14′)

    For two-lane highways.

  • Ontario
    4.87 m (15′ 11.5″)

    General rule 4.87 m (15′ 11.5″), with 2 other cases.

  • Quebec
    4.5 m (14′ 9″)

Conditions determining escort vehicle position (In words)

The conditions that determine whether the escort vehicle must precede, follow, or both precede and follow the escorted vehicle or convoy.

  • New York

    A front escort vehicle will be required for travel on all two-lane highways when the vehicle/load exceeds 12 feet wide, and/or 80 feet long or greater and/or height of 14 feet or greater, or where the overhang is greater than 10 feet.

    1 more case.

  • Ontario

    This vehicle must precede the load when traveling on a two-lane road and follow it when traveling on a multi-lane road.

    9 more cases.

  • Quebec

    width exceeds 3.75 m on a road having only one lane of traffic in the direction of the lane used

    6 more cases.

Police escort required (Yes or no)

Whether a police escort is required for the oversize or overweight movement.

  • New York

    Yes

    For vehicle/load exceeds 16 feet in width. 3 more cases.

  • Ontario

    Yes

    For Highway 144 from 20 km north of Highway 17 at Whitson Creek (Chelmsford) to the junction of Highway 144 and Highway 101, width greater than 4.57 metres. 3 more cases.

  • Quebec

    Yes

    For General condition 1. 1 more case.

Number of escort vehicles required (Measures)

Total number of escort vehicles required to accompany the oversize or overweight vehicle or combination.

  • New York
    1 to 3

    Across 3 cases, each with its own conditions.

  • Ontario
    1 to 2

    Across 29 cases, each with its own conditions.

  • Quebec
    1 to 2

    Across 3 cases, each with its own conditions.

Vehicle standards and equipment

24 topics Open Vehicle standards and equipment

Escort vehicle equipment required (In words)

Equipment that an escort vehicle must carry or display, such as flashing lights, reflectors, warning signs, flags, a fire extinguisher, traffic cones, spare bulbs, or a flashing arrow board.

  • New York

    Three emergency triangles and/or flares. Triangles must be in accordance with FMVSS 571.125.

    3 more cases.

  • Ontario

    one or more flashing yellow warning lights placed on the roof of the escort vehicle

    16 more cases.

  • Quebec

    flares, lamps or reflectors visible up to a minimum distance of 300 m

    1 more case.

Escort vehicle lighting required (Yes or no)

Whether the escort vehicle must be equipped with specified warning lights, such as flashing yellow lights visible from all directions or a yellow light bar meeting the applicable SAE standard.

Escort vehicle warning devices required (Yes or no)

Whether the escort vehicle must carry warning devices such as flares, lamps, or reflectors visible from a specified distance.

Operator qualifications and certification

14 topics Open Operator qualifications and certification

Escort vehicle operator certificate must be carried (Yes or no)

Whether the escort vehicle operator must have in their possession their certificate of appointment or certification while carrying out escort duties and produce it upon request.

Not stated in Quebec.

Minimum age of escort vehicle operator (Measures)

Minimum age, in years, that a person must be to drive an escort vehicle accompanying an oversize or overweight vehicle or combination.

  • New York
    21 years
  • Ontario
    18 years

    General rule 18 years, with 1 other case.

Not stated in Quebec.

Pilot car operator certification required (Yes or no)

Whether a person acting as a pilot car (escort vehicle) operator must hold a certification or nomination issued by the road authority, in addition to a driver's licence.

Not stated in Quebec.

Escort operating duties and traffic control

29 topics Open Escort operating duties and traffic control

Minimum distance between escort and escorted vehicle (Measures)

Minimum distance, in metres, that must be maintained between an escort vehicle and the escorted vehicle or convoy.

  • New York
    304.8 m (1000′)
  • Ontario
    60 m (196′ 10″)

    General rule 60 m (196′ 10″), with 2 other cases.

  • Quebec
    100 m (328′ 1″)

Escort vehicle communication required (Yes or no)

Whether the escort vehicle driver must be able to communicate by two-way radio with the escorted vehicle, police, and other escort vehicles.

Not stated in New York.

Escort vehicle documents required (In words)

Documents that the escort vehicle driver must carry, such as a written copy of the permit information, the escort operator's certificate of nomination, or proof of certification.

  • Ontario

    certificate of appointment

  • Quebec

    a document containing the information referred to in paragraphs 16, 17 and 20 of section 4

Not stated in New York.

Oversize convoy arrangements

8 topics Open Oversize convoy arrangements

Convoy passing facilitation interval (Measures)

Maximum time interval, in minutes, after which drivers in a convoy must facilitate passing by other vehicles.

Not stated in New York.

Convoy passing facilitation required (Yes or no)

Whether drivers in a convoy must facilitate passing by other vehicles at specified intervals or at the first safe opportunity.

Not stated in New York.

Convoy authorization required (Yes or no)

Whether convoy travel must be expressly authorized by the permit.

Not stated in New York.

Where the comparisons come from

  17. Escorts(opens in a new tab)

    www.dot.ny.gov, web page, 3 facts