What Is a Height Pole or Hi-pole?

A height pole or high pole, or hi-pole, is a measuring device that is precisely attached to the front of a pilot car vehicle. It’s used to measure the height of overhead obstructions during the transport of over-dimensional (tall) shipments by oversize trucking companies.  

North American states and provinces have laws regulating and mandating when a height pole is required to transport over-height shipments within their jurisdiction. To comply with these pre-determined requirements, trucking companies must determine if the shipment they wish to transport will require a height pole pilot car or a lead escort vehicle with a height pole installed before applying for an oversized trucking permit.

Types of Height Poles for Oversized Loads

A height pole is crucial for identifying potential overhead clearance issues, such as signs, power lines or bridges. The measuring devices come in many materials and constructions to accommodate the safe transportation requirements of tall loads and meet unique requirements. 

Some types of high poles include:

• Nonconductive poles: Nonconductive poles feature specialized plastics or fiberglass that prevent the flow of electricity. 
• Telescopic poles: Telescopic poles feature multiple sections that you can extend and retract to adjust the height. 
• Rigid poles: Rigid poles are adjustable and built to withstand wind resistance or vibrations during transport. 

Federal and State Requirements for Pilot Cars With Height Poles

According to the Department of Transportation, there are no Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requirements for height poles on pilot cars. Most states mandate high poles when loads meet or exceed a certain height, such as 14 to 16 feet. Loads exceeding standard limits usually require a permit for the transport itself.

When planning to transport oversized items in an area, you should check the state regulations regarding pilot cars and high poles. Some examples of state-specific guidelines include:

• Idaho: If your load is over 16 feet tall, you must use a non-metallic height pole in front of your pilot car. 
• Washington and New York: When loads exceed 14 feet 6 inches, a front-mounted height pole is required for a pilot car. 
• Florida: Loads exceeding 16 feet in height require two pilot cars.
• California: Loads 18 feet tall or higher require a height pole for a pilot car.
• Texas: Any loads exceeding 17 feet require a high pole on the front of a pilot car. 

How Pilot Cars Work With Height Poles Attached

The photograph illustrated here is a typical example of what a pilot car vehicle might look like when equipped with a height pole. You can see the measuring device affixed to the front of the vehicle, as it is very tall. A height pole is made out of sections of fiberglass that are adjustable to meet the requirements of each state/province the shipment will be passing through. The height pole will be adjusted to a height that is 6 inches taller than the shipment when loaded onto the shipping trailer.  

Once the actual transport of the item takes place, the pilot car equipped with the height pole will proceed in front of the over-dimensional (tall) load being transported. Suppose a driver of the pilot car equipped with the height pole (hi-pole or high pole) hears the fiberglass height pole hit any obstructions in the path of the shipment. In that case, the operator will immediately notify the driver of the truck transporting the shipment, informing them of the obstruction to prevent any damage to the shipment or the obstruction.  

When a height pole is mounted correctly on the escort vehicle, it’s connected to the frame. If the height pole does happen to strike any objects, the sound heard by the pilot car is loud and distinct, thus alerting the driver to the obstruction. Having these safety measures in place is in the best interest of everyone, from the taxpayer to the safety of the motorists, the shipment’s owner being transported and the transportation company.

The Importance of Installing Height Poles Correctly

There’s no such thing as cutting corners when installing a height pole on your pilot car. It’s crucial that it’s directly connected to the frame of your pilot car for two reasons:

• Ensure it’s sturdy, stable and not going to fall off your vehicle.
• So you can hear the sound it makes if it hits an obstruction. It must be attached to the frame.

For the pilot car vehicle operator to properly hear the sound created by the height pole if an obstruction is hit, the device must be properly and securely mounted to the vehicle in such a manner that the bracket holding it is connected to the frame of the pilot car vehicle. Therefore, to obtain the highest quality from installing this device, you may wish to make sure you are not adding sub-supports for your height pole when designing your attachment method.

Best Practices for Installing Height Sticks for Oversized Loads

While there are many different ways to install a height pole on your pilot car vehicle, we strongly suggest you locate a heavy-duty bumper grill made from heavy tubing, as you might see on law enforcement vehicles. If you can locate a front bumper/grill protector attachment, you then have a few options:

• Option one: The first would be to cut the top portion of the bumper guard off so your height pole can easily slide in/out of the pole. Then, make sure you devise a method that locks it in, no matter how you decide to attach it.
• Option two: The second option would be to locate a small piece of pipe that the base of the height pole snugly fits into and weld this onto the bumper grill attachment.

That will require some planning, designing, and fabricating to weld the pipe in place, so it stands perfectly vertical but well worth it if you wish to work with over-height shipments.

The bumper grill works so well because it usually connects with two bolts to your vehicle. The tubing these are constructed out of is not only heavy-duty but very close, if not the same as the base of most height poles. So not only do it properly, but efficiently as well.

Why Is It So Important to Connect High Poles to the Frame of Pilot Car Vehicles?

You need to hear if a pole hits any obstructions. Consider all of the other noises when you are operating your pilot car vehicle. You’ve got the sound of your engine, the sound of tires on the road and 2-way radio chatter. Other sounds, such as sirens, trains, airplanes, etc., are frequent. Because the height pole is so important, make sure that if it does strike something overhead, it makes a loud sound. That will instantly alert the operator because it’s distinguishable from other sounds or background noises.