1.
Pilot Vehicle Thresholds
A. TABLE 1 details the pilot vehicle and
police escort requirements for a single vehicle and load or a vehicle
combination and load where the object moved is not a mobile or modular home:
|
TABLE 1
|
|
Number of
Pilots/Escorts
|
Permit
Type
|
Width
|
Length
|
Rear
Overhang
|
Height
|
|
1 Pilot Vehicle
|
Maine Only
|
Greater than 12 feet and less than 16
feet
|
Greater than 80 feet and less than 125
feet
|
|
|
|
Multi-State
|
Greater than or equal to 12 feet
|
Greater than or equal to 80
feet
|
|
|
|
2 Pilot Vehicles
|
Maine Only
|
Night time moves of timber harvesting equipment not
exceeding 11 feet 6 inches (See Section 18)
|
Night time moves of timber harvesting equipment not
exceeding 75 feet (See Section 18)
|
Greater than 5 feet and less than 15 feet 1
inch
|
|
|
1 Police Escort and 1 pilot
vehicle
|
|
|
|
Greater than 15 feet
|
|
|
1 Pilot Vehicle + 1 Police Escort or 2 police
escorts when the Maine State Police, MaineDOT or BMV deems
necessary
|
Maine Only
|
Greater than or equal to 16 feet and less than 20
feet
|
Greater than or equal to 125 feet and less than 150
feet
|
|
|
|
2 Police Escorts + 1 Pilot Vehicle
|
Maine Only
|
Greater than or equal to 20 feet
|
Greater than or equal to 150 feet (See Section
8)
|
|
|
|
1 Pole Car
|
Maine
Only
|
|
|
|
Greater than 15 feet
|
B.
TABLE 2 details the pilot vehicle and police escort requirements for a vehicle
combination and load where the object moved is a manufactured, modular, mobile
or pre-fabricated home:
|
TABLE 2
|
|
Number of Pilots/Escorts
|
Permit Type
|
Width (At the Base)
|
Length
|
Height
|
|
1 Pilot Vehicle
|
Maine Only
|
Greater than 12 feet and less than or equal to 14
feet 6 inches
|
Greater than 80 feet and less than 125
feet
|
|
|
Multi-State
|
Greater than or equal to 12 feet
|
Greater than or equal to 80
feet
|
|
|
2 Pilot Vehicles
|
Maine Only
|
Greater than 14 feet 6 inches and less than 16
feet
|
|
|
|
1 Pilot Vehicle + 1 Police Escort
|
Maine Only
|
(1) Base greater than or equal to 16 feet and less
than 20 feet, or (2) Eaves greater than or equal to 16 feet 9
inches
|
Greater than or equal to 125 feet and less than 150
feet
|
|
|
2 Police Escorts plus 1 pilot
vehicle
|
Maine Only
|
Greater than or equal to 20 feet
|
Greater than or equal to 150
feet
|
|
|
1 Pole Car
|
Maine Only
|
|
|
Greater than 15 feet
|
|
(See Section 21 for special conditions for mobile
and modular homes)
|
C.
The Secretary, acting upon the advice of the Commissioner, may require pilot
vehicles for lesser dimensions as well as require additional pilots, or may
waive or modify the necessity of requiring pilot vehicles.
D. The Chief of the Maine State Police, a
member of the department holding the rank of Lieutenant or higher or their
designee, may at their discretion, waive the requirement for a second police
escort or require additional police escorts to safely complete the move. The
Maine State Police may not reduce the police escort requirements below the
requirements of Title 29-A section2382 subsection 9-A.
2.
Operation
A. Pilot vehicles must travel in front of the
overdimensional vehicle(s), unless traveling on a divided highway in which
case, the pilot vehicle must follow the overdimensional vehicle. If two pilot
vehicles are required, one will precede the overdimensional vehicle(s) and one
will follow.
B. Movement must be
made in such a way that other vehicles will not come between the pilot vehicle
and the overdimensional vehicle(s).
C. The pilot vehicle must direct, by a
predetermined signal, the overdimensional vehicle(s) off the highway at the
first suitable opportunity, when:
(1) a
properly signaling emergency vehicle is approaching from the rear; or
(2) seven or more vehicles are following as
the result of slow movement.
3.
Pilot Vehicle Specifications and
Requirements
A. The pilot vehicle must
be an automobile or light truck with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of
less than 8,500 pounds, equipped with:
(1) a
conventional interior rear view mirror;
(2) right and left exterior side view
mirrors; and
(3) amber lighting to
include:
(a) two intermittent flashing amber
lights at least 6 inches in diameter; or
(b) two rotary type amber lights at least 4
inches in diameter; or
(c) a light
bar of sufficient length and width to accommodate a minimum of four amber
flashing or strobe lights or combination thereof; and
(d) the lights under option (a) and (b) must
be attached to the roof of the pilot vehicle, one on the extreme left and the
other on the extreme right, or the light bar under option (c) must be located
horizontally on the roof perpendicular to the length of the pilot
vehicle.
B.
Headlights shall be on low beam at all times during the move.
C.
Special Signage
(1) The sign shall read: "OVERSIZE
LOAD".
(2)
Sign
Requirements
(a) Size: not less than 5
feet wide by 12 inches high;
(b)
Lettering: not less than 8 inches high with a 1.4 inch brush stroke and a
border width of 1 inch around the letters;
(c) Color: black lettering on a yellow
background;
(d) Location: on the
roof perpendicular to the length of the vehicle and legible on both sides; or
on the front bumper when the pilot vehicle is required to precede the over
dimension load, or on the rear bumper when the pilot vehicle is required to
follow the load.
(3)
Pilot vehicles not engaged in escorting overdimensional loads must have signs
removed or covered and amber warning lights extinguished.
D.
Mobile Communications
(1) Two-way mobile communication which has a
minimum radius range of one-half mile is required.
(2) Communication must be maintained with the
overlimit vehicle(s) at all times during the move.
E. The driver requirements for a pilot
vehicle are as follows:
(1) the driver must be
at least 18 years of age;
(2) the
driver must have held a motor vehicle operator's license for two consecutive
years immediately prior to operating a pilot vehicle; and
(3) the driver must be familiar with the
rules regarding the outfitting and use of pilot
vehicles.
