Most likely you have seen pilot cars on the road. Pickup trucks, SUVS, or cars driving in front or behind a tractor-trailer hauling an over-dimensional load.

These are called pilot cars or escort vehicles, and the people who drive them are trained professionals who specialize in this type of driving. You may have thought that the pilot car is part of the trucking company, but the pilot car driver is generally someone who is a private contractor hired to escort the oversize load through certain States or Provinces.

A pilot car driver works in conjunction with the driver of an oversize load to make sure the truck reaches the destination safely. The pilot car driver travels in front or back of the truck in a seperate vehicle, warning the public if there are traffic changes or obstacles due to the truckload. They also warn the truck if there is anything up ahead that can interfere with its safe passage. Furthermore, the person who is driving the car will be able to communicate via CB Radio with the truck driver. This allows the pilot car driver to tell the truck driver if there are any situations requiring attention.

An escort vehicle also helps to ensure that the driver of the oversize load doesn’t accidentally violate traffic laws or cause an accident while moving the over dimensional load.