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Pilot Car and Route Surveying Services in Connecticut

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Connecticut Pilot Car Company | Oversized Load Escort Services

When transporting oversized loads in Connecticut, Wide Load Shipping is your go-to provider of pilot car services. We boast an immaculate safety record over 15 years of operating in the state. We serve every part of Connecticut and the surrounding states. We also handle the acquisition of permits and insurance for your load. Pilot cars accompany oversized loads on public roads to warn motorists and ensure the safety of your load. In cases where police escorts are necessary, we contact the state police department to make arrangements. Over the years, we have escorted all manner of over-dimensional loads, among them bridge spans, excavators, shovels, and manufactured homes, to name a few. Let us lead the way to the destination of your oversize load. 

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When Do You Need Pilot Cars in Connecticut?

  • Length: Over 80โ€™ 1 pilot car in the rear on an undivided highway.  If over 100โ€™, one escort vehicle is required in the front and rear of the trailer on undivided highways. On divided, only one rear is required. If over 119โ€ฒ one in front and one in the rear on undivided highways. Sectional or modular homes 16โ€ฒ wide maximum. No pilot cars are required until ten feet wide; if 10โ€ฒ wide, then one rear escort is required in undivided highways if the load is wider than the lane. From 10โ€ฒ wide to 13โ€ฒ 6โ€ณ one rear on divided highways and one rear on undivided highways. Over 13โ€ฒ 6โ€ณ in width requires one front and one rear on all roads. If over 80โ€ฒ in length, one rear escort is required on undivided highways. If over 85โ€ฒ in length, one front and one rear are required on all routes.
  • Width: Over 12โ€™ wide one rear (or front and rear if undivided highway). Over 13โ€™ 6โ€ 1 front and one rear escort. Over 15โ€™ 1 front and two rear.
  • Height: Over 14โ€™ 1 pilot car in front.

Escort Car Requirements in Connecticut

  • Your signs must be worded precisely: โ€œOVERSIZE LOAD AHEADโ€ or โ€œOVERSIZE LOAD FOLLOWING,โ€ depending on if you are leading or chasing. This sign must be a minimum of 48โ€ณ above the ground. Additionally, the sign can read: โ€œWIDE  LOAD AHEADโ€ or โ€œWIDE  LOAD FOLLOWING,โ€ โ€œLONG  LOAD AHEAD,โ€ or โ€œLONG LOAD FOLLOWING,โ€ depending on if the pilot car is leading or chasing. All signs mentioned here must have a minimum of 8โ€ณ black letters and be on a yellow background. 
  • Amber lights must be attached to the top of the pilot or escort vehicle and visible for no less than 1,000 feet. Your light must either flash or rotate. 
  • You must be able to maintain communication with the driver of the load via 2-way radio at all times.
  • You must have a red vest or jacket and a red hand flag no less than 18โ€ณ square. 18โ€ณ square flags are to be mounted on both the front and rear corners of the vehicle. 
  • All escort vehicles must have a width of at least 60โ€ณ and 1- and 1/2-ton capacity for cargo.

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Transport with the Right Trailer

With our dedicated agents, you can trust that youโ€™ll have the right trailer every time, ensuring your shipment arrives on time and intact.

Double Drop Deck Trailer

Max dimensions:

29FT Length | 8.5FT Width |11.5FT Height

Max Weight:

45,000LBS

Step Deck Trailer

Max Dimensions:

53FT Length | ยฐ 8.5FT Width | 11.5FT Height

Max Weight:

48,000LBS

Removable Gooseneck Trailer

Max Dimensions:

29FT Length | 8.5FT Width |11.5FT Height

Max Weight:

45,000LBS

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Route Surveying in Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Transportation requires that for loads with heights 14 feet 1 inch or more, a route survey must be conducted, and the results must be attached to all permit applications. It is to prove to the authorities that a load can navigate a roadway without compromising the integrity of road infrastructure and public utilities. Our logistics experts at Wide Load Shipping also use these results to plan for the swiftest route and determine the regulations your load will have to meet. To minimize time spent on the road, we study traffic patterns to avoid heavy rush hour traffic. Many of the highways in Connecticut are ideal for moving oversized loads.  Some examples include

  1. Interstate 95 (I-95): runs along the southern coast of Connecticut, linking New York to Rhode Island.
  2. Interstate 84 (I-84) runs east-west through the northern part of the state, connecting various towns, and is a viable option for oversized vehicles.
  3. Interstate 91 (I-91): This north-south route runs through central Connecticut.
  4. U.S. Route 5: This highway parallels I-91 and can be suitable for transporting oversized loads.
  5. U.S. Route 8: joining the western and central parts of the state, often used for larger vehicles.

To have your oversized load escorted and delivered on time and intact, contact Wide Load Shipping today.