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Pilot Car and Route Surveying Services Provider in Maine

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Pilot Car and Escort Vehicle Services in Maine

Move your oversized load with Wide Load Shipping and let our team of experts handle it. We offer comprehensive pilot car services with a proven safety track record in Maine. Oversized loads can be challenging to move around, especially in urban areas. Our drivers are experienced and well-versed in navigating most urban metros’ narrow and windy roads. We also offer our customers complementing services like disassembling where necessary cranes for loading, unloading, and hauling vehicles. Apart from pilot cars, oversized loads require permits and insurance to move on public roads, the acquisition of which we handle. Pilot cars are required to ensure that the safety and integrity of road infrastructure are maintained. They travel ahead or behind over-dimensional loads to warn other motorists and maintain the following distances. Whether your load is going for a short or cross-country trip, our services have you covered. With Wide Load Shipping, you can transport any load, including excavators, mobile home units, and wind turbine blades. Book now!

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When Are Pilot Cars Required in Maine?

If your shipment is over any of the following dimensions, you must have a pilot car or escort vehicle as guided by the Maine DOT office. If the highway is divided, a single pilot car or escort vehicle is positioned at the rear of the vehicle. If the highway is undivided, a single pilot car or escort vehicle is positioned at the front of the truck and trailer. During transit, 18-inch by 18-inch flags must be posted on all four corners of oversized loads. The regular escort vehicle requirements in Maine are;

  • Length: Loads over 79 feet and 11 inches require one pilot or escort vehicle. Loads over 110 feet require two pilot cars, one at the front and one at the rear. Loads over 125 feet require civilian escorts plus a state police escort.
  • Width: Loads 12 feet to 14 inches wide require one pilot or escort vehicle. Loads 14 feet 6 inches to 15 feet 11 inches wide require two pilot cars, one front and one rear. 
  • Height: Loads over 16 feet high require a state police escort.

Maine Pilot and Escort Vehicle Certifications

Every state has various regulations that a vehicle must satisfy to serve escort duties. In Maine, these requirements include;

  • Maine’s pilot and escort vehicles can be light trucks or automobiles. 
  • The drivers of escort cars must be at least 18 years old and possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license for at least two consecutive years. 
  • An “OVERSIZE LOAD” sign at least five ′ wide by 12″ high with a yellow background and black letters at least 8″ tall should be placed on the rear bumper for rear escorts or on the front bumper when leading a load. It can also be roof-mounted with the sign facing the appropriate direction. 
  • Flashing, rotating, or light bar amber lights should be mounted at the extreme top left and right or left to right of the vehicle’s roof. 
  • Pilot and escort vehicles must be equipped with a two-way CB radio with a coverage area of one and a half miles.

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Transport Your Load On The Right Trailer With Us

Double Drop Deck Trailer

Max Dimensions: 29FT Length, 8.5FT Width, and 11.5FT Height

Max Weight: 45,000LBS

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Step Deck Trailer

Max Dimensions: 53FT Length, 8.5FT Width, and 11.5FT Height

Max Weight: 48,000LBS

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Removable Gooseneck Trailer (RGN)

Max Dimensions: 53FT Length, 8.5FT Width, and 11.6FT Height

Max Weight: 150,000LBS

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Flatbed Trailer

Max Dimensions: 53FT Length, 8.5FT Width, and 8.5FT Height

Max Weight: 48,000LBS

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Oversize Load Route Surveying Services in Maine

At Wide Load Shipping, we go to great lengths to choose the most practical and direct routes in Maine for your oversized load. Route surveys are one of the main ways we achieve this. Route surveying entails driving down a route in a pilot car to check for height clearances, bridge weight limits, overhead utilities, and railway crossings. We also check for route traffic patterns, as over-dimensional loads must leave the road when traffic backs up behind them. Travel restrictions are another consideration when planning the journey. Oversized loads cannot travel at night, on weekends, or certain national holidays without special permits.  When moving an oversized load in Maine, some of the routes to consider are;

  • US Route 1: A coastal highway running from Kittery to Fort Kent.
  • US Route 2: An east-west route connecting significant cities like Auburn, Augusta, and Houlton.
  • Maine Route 27: north-south route through central Maine and the Carrabassett Valley area.
  • Interstate 95 (I-95): A central north-south corridor across the eastern part of the state, connecting Houlton, Bangor, and Portland. 
  • Interstate 295 (I-295): This route connects I-95 to the coastal areas.

Customize your needed pilot car services today with Wide Load Shipping. Contact us today!