Pilot Car and Route Surveying Services in Washington

The following are the required certifications for pilot cars and escort vehicles in Washington:

• Pilot cars or escort vehicles can be cars, trucks, or SUVs with a gross vehicle maximum rating of at least 14,000 pounds and a wheelbase of at least 60″ in width.
• Headlights must be on at all times while escorting shipment. 
• Each vehicle must have two amber lights on top and a horizontally mounted rotating (or strobe) amber-colored flashing light visible from a 360-degree angle and at least 500 feet away.  
• Company identification signs must be placed on both sides of the pilot car (escort vehicle), displaying the company’s name and phone number, and on both the vehicle’s left and right-hand sides. These signs must be no less than 8″ tall x 12″ wide, and identity writing must be legible. 
• Vehicles must have a CB radio or 2-way communication device and 5-pound fire extinguishers type A, B, and C.  A sign hand-held sign with the word “STOP” on one side and “SLOW” on the other with dimensions of no less than 18″ in diameter with a minimum of 6″ letters. 
• Washington state escort drivers are required by law to be state-certified and have a copy of their Washington State Certification ID in the vehicle at all times.  
• Pilot cars (escort vehicles) must stay at least 1/2 mile from the shipment they are escorting. 
• All pilot cars/escort vehicles must display a roof-mounted “OVERSIZE LOAD” sign visible from both the front and rear of the vehicle.  The sign must be at least 5′ long and 12″ in height, yellow with black letters no less than 10″ tall and 1 1/2″ in width.  The sign must be a minimum of 5′ above the pavement. 
• The vehicle should have two safety flags, red or orange, and be a minimum of 18″ in length and height mounted at a 40 to 70-degree angle on all four corners of the vehicle, but these (the flags) are NOT mandatory at the time of this publishing.