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Pilot Car and Route Surveying Services Provider in Maryland

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Pilot Car and Escort Vehicle Services in Maryland

Are you looking to ship an oversized load within, to, or from Maryland? Wide Load Shipping offers affordable pilot car services in the Old Line State. Our services are curated to be customer-focused to maximize convenience for our clients. Our experts will pick up your load and deliver it anywhere in the state, no matter how remote. To ensure no regulations are missed, we acquire insurance, permits, police escorts, and consent letters or representatives from power and utility companies. Pilot cars are the key to maintaining public and load safety during oversized transports. They also help guide loads around tight turns and through narrow road sections. Maryland has a significant agricultural industry, the state’s leading commercial industry. It is among the many industries we serve in the state, guiding various types of loads like large farm machinery, steel pipes and beams, mobile homes, and fire trucks, to name a few. Book our pilot car services in Maryland today!

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When Are You Required to Have Pilot Cars in Maryland?

When a load exceeds the following weight and dimensions, it must be accompanied by the required number and type of pilot cars.
  • Length: Loads over 120′ long require one pilot or escort vehicle.
  • Width: Loads over 13 feet wide require one front pilot vehicle, except for manufactured homes. Loads over 14 feet require one front and one rear escort vehicle. In Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, loads over 12′ wide on two-lane undivided highways require two escorts.
  • Height: Loads over 14′ high require one pilot car with a height pole and a route survey. Loads over 15′ high may also require a bucket truck. Loads over 16′ require a police escort plus the civilian escorts.
  • Weight: Loads over 110,000 pounds require one escort vehicle. For loads over 120,000 pounds, one civilian escort and a Police escort are required for the entire route if any part of the route is a non-interstate highway. For Loads over 130,000 pounds, a police escort is required even on Interstate-only routes.
  • Overhang: Undefined.

NOTE: 

  • Police escorts will be required if traffic has to be diverted or stopped or if the load occupies two or more lanes on a highway with only one lane in each direction.
  • Construction equipment can only have a blade or bucket attached up to 12′ wide. If they are overweight, detached blades and buckets cannot be hauled on the same load; they must be hauled separately.

Pilot Car and Escort Vehicle Certifications in Maryland

Maryland’s regulations on escort vehicles are rather lax compared to those of other states. They include;

  • Pilot and escort vehicles must have a yellow “OVERSIZE LOAD” or “WIDE LOAD” sign that is at least 5′ wide by 12″ tall and has black letters at least 8″ high. 
  • They must have a roof-mounted yellow oscillating or rotating light at least 3″ in diameter and visible from both the front and rear. Flashing warning lamps are required when a vehicle travels at 20 MPH below the posted speed.
  • All pilot cars and escort vehicles must be equipped with a two-way C.B. radio to communicate constantly with all involved parties.
  • Headlights must be on at all times while conducting the move.
  • Maryland has no stipulations for warning flags on escort vehicles.

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Haul your heavy load with the best transporters in the industry!

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 Maryland

Route surveying is vital in identifying obstacles along a round that may impede a specific over-dimensional load. Route surveys are mandatory, and the completed results must be attached to the permit applications for some loads.  During a route survey, we aim to check for height clearances, bridge speed, and weight limits, low-hanging signs, power lines and traffic signals, and railway crossings. This data helps out with our route planning efforts and regulation compliance. The law requires us to inform utility companies when an oversized load is to pass under their infrastructure so they can either move them or consent. An ideal route for oversized loads has to be wide enough to allow the load through with minimal interruption to normal traffic flow. Some of the recommended routes in Maryland are;

  • Interstate 695 (I-695): This Baltimore Beltway allows for movement around Baltimore and gives access to several transport hubs.
  • Interstate 270 (I-270): This route connects the D.C. area to Frederick.
  • U.S. Route 50: Runs east-west, connecting Annapolis and the Eastern Shore.
  • U.S. Route 301: A major north-south route connecting the Chesapeake Bay Bridge down to the southern part of the state.

Wide Load Shipping pilot car services in Maryland are timely and suitable for time-sensitive projects. Contact us today to move your next oversized load with us.