How do you become a Pilot/Escort vehicle for oversized loads?

Sounds good I look forward to seeing them.

 

Based on your comment, I'm guessing that you haul oversized loads? I don't know why it took me so long to connect tbe dots. So without giving away any of your personal information, would you say you've seen good and bad pilot car operators (PCD's)? I ask that with all due respect?

Only last night did I finally discover "Pilot Car Map." I watched all of his videos and learned a lot. It also gave me a lot more questions. Funny thing -- I never thought of it being a year round job. I only noticed wide loads (Mobil homes) being moved in the summer time. "Oversize" is a huge field. I also never imagined how independent some PCD'S are and the networks that they have. I suppose I always kind of assumed that a PCD worked exclusively for one company or another. But last night opened my eyes to just how much potential there is and the demand for good PCD'S.

 

Sorry about my questions and comments above. I hope everyone understands how I just screwed up with the formatting.

 

Seen bad, good & great ones. Though usually only saw the bad ones one time, as they were either fired mid run or never invited back to the dance.

We have a group of pilots we use regularly, the least of which I would rate as good, but most are very good to great. Every once in awhile they’ll have a newer driver try to join their ranks, some make it some don’t. We typically run in groups of 2 & the new guys are never on the lead of the first load. They’ll either be rear on the first load or if necessary, lead on the second load in order to gain experience as well as trust from us.

 

I've been watching a lot of videos and I can see how a good PCD make a huge difference and how it's important to keep the jibber jabber to minimum and give the hauler accurate info in a precise manner. Knowing where to be and when to be there is the name of the game. I have a lot to learn, but the more I see of it the more I'm convinced that it's the way for me to go.

 

[QUOTE="gorckat, post: 7445960

You have a huge leg up on a guy like me that never drove and wants to do this pilot work as is, and if you can gain the knowledge that is already here for the taking, then you get an even bigger head start.[/QUOTE]

Here's the thing, gorckat. I keep looking at different vehicles cars, pickups, mini Van's and full size Van's. I look at the list of required equipment, signs, lights, fire extinguishers and so on. The equipment doesn't amount to all that much as far as taking up space. So the need for space doesn't really play into picking a vehicle until you start to add in the other stuff that the operator wants to carry. I am an old boy scout who's motto is; "Be prepaired." Having said that, I do realize that there are reasonable limits. However, having seen first hand the guys whom get stranded in some lousy places overnight, and seeing some of the circumstances which led up to getting stranded ie. break down, ran out of daylight, not as a result of poor planning but just due to weather, or poor communication with law enforcement regarding police escort, or DOT inspection. They get stuck in some lousy place with no bathrooms, no running water and the nearest convenience store is miles down the road. Maybe I'm being paranoid but a 4 door sedan just ain't comfortable. And, I guess a little camping stove and some simple can goods and a couple of gallons of water for wash up and coffee would help to make the end of a bad day a little bit better.

So aside from from the fact that hopefully the job pays enough to make a decent living and put something in the bank after expenses, there are those surprises which pop up along the way and I would like to be able to handle just about any situation with a little bit of planning for the unexpected and avoiding unnecessary discomfort because I never drempt that I could get stranded on the roadside with nothing to eat or drink or cook.

So I am pretty stuck on a full size van or minivan. I want to be ready to head across country in any kind of weather. I want to with the knowledge that I can help myself and others. I'm pretty handy with repairs and that's being modest, so I'll have a pretty good selection of tools.

I guess my biggest question is this. Can I make good money or am I wasting my time setting up a well equipped vehicle because there isn't any good money to be made.

 

Writing is cathartic. I've been wrestling with the idea of pilot car now for about 6 months. The only people in the business that I have actually been able to talk to (real people face to face) have been mobile home drivers and operators with one exception, and that was when I ran in to two guys whom were hauling a ocean drilling rig. Impressive as those loads were, they were stuck in a DOT inspection area just over the NY boarder in Vermont. One operator told me he had been instructed by a DOT inspector to park in that area (devoid oi f any toilets or running water) on Friday afternoon and wait for them to come at around 9 o'clock Monday morning. They would then give him a level 1 DOT inspection and if everything was ok with his truck that he would then be given a permit to run in Vermont. Now here is where I get restless and pissed off. You can't run on the weekend -- right? So why in the heck would that operator go to that rest area to sit for 2 days? It seemed bazaar to me, but in an effort to keep from offending him and asking why he would do something like that, I refrained from the rhetorical and offered my sympathy instead. Later it dawned on me that perhaps they would drop the trailers and head into town and get a motel for the weekend. Seemed plausible to me and the reality was that they had to get stuck someplace for the weekend -- right?

Now for my dilemma... what about the poor pilot car driver? What does he or she do? Or did the driver pay for a room for him too? Motels are expensive and if the pilot car operator is set up properly it seems to me that he could survive the weekend with a trip to the grocery store and a bath in a near by lake or stream.

My point to all of this rambling is once again is this..... I'm not looking to have a hobby that gets me out of the house once in awhile. I'm gonna give up a good job, earning good money to do this. But I need to know if I am making a mistake in thinking that I can do something which is a little less physical as I grow older and still make a good dollar.

Granted, it will take a little time to get established with operators as a worthwhile pilot car driver, but I am pretty confident that I will catch on very quickly and hopefully become known as a good operator. So where would the best place for me be to try to get established? And last but not least, what can a good pilot car operator earn if he aggressive and not afraid to work?? 50K ...75K after expenses?? Or is this more or less a hobby for retired people?

I'm betting that anyone who reads what I have posted will probably think that I am some kind of jerk -- right?

Look... here it is in the nutshell. I have not been able to talk to anyone whom has said that this can be a good business to get into. No one has given me a good answer as to what the potential earnings for a first rate pilot operator can be. The fact is, the more I see of operators the more discouraged I become. They always seem dirty, kind of stupid and kind of lazy. I'm looking for an operator who is first class and professional at what he does, makes a good living and keeps his equipment well maintained... if one exists, please raise your hand. I'll buy you dinner anywhere if your willing to answer my questions. Thanks for reading!!

 

Lots of people are doing it, some make decent to good money, some barely scrape by, some go broke.

The pilots we use are in high demand & get a good rate, because they are good at it & come prepared to do the job. High pole/Lead pilot is $575 a day with $100 overnight. Rear pilot is $475 a day with $100 overnight.

Figure out what your daily expenses will be, vehicle, maintenance, insurance, fuel, misc. equipment expenses, food, etcetera, then decide if the money is good enough to bank what you want.

Expect to spend $4-6,000 to equip your vehicle with quality equipment. The insurance can be quite high, there’s only a few companies willing to insure the potential risks.

 

That is pretty good money. I really appreciate your response.

 

It’s even better when you take into account that most of our loads average 600-700 miles. So there’s generally one day of running hard to make as many miles as we can, then a short day. Depending on what time we get loaded will decide which day is which.

I am generally one of our first trucks to load, if everything goes well, we will be rolling by 10-12 at the latest. So most of the time my first day gets the most miles in. Then day 2 the short miles. Most of the time my escorts have me on site by noon at the latest on the second day.

So they get 2 days pay & an overnight for 1-1/2 days of work. Most of them have the contacts to pick up a return trip & many times they will start that job the afternoon I release them, so they end up with 3 days & 2 overnights on 2 days of work.

Like I said before, if/when I get tired of dragging the loads & if I decide to do the pilot work instead, I am going to fall in with this group.