3-Minute Public Comment Statement

Good morning. My name is [Your Name], and I am a pilot car operator based in [Your City, State]. I've worked in the oversize/overweight escort industry for [X] years, supporting the safe transport of superloads, windmill blades, heavy equipment, and other critical freight across our region.

I'm here today to speak on behalf of pilot car operators — the professionals who travel ahead of and behind these massive loads to protect the motoring public, infrastructure, and the drivers behind the wheel.

SAFETY

is the foundation of everything we do. Pilot car operators are often the first line of defense when an oversize load encounters a bridge, a tight interchange, or a stopped school bus. We clear the route, communicate hazards, and coordinate with law enforcement. But safety requires investment — in training, in standardized certification, and in routing systems that give us accurate, real-time clearance data.

When routing systems like APRAS or bridge clearance databases are outdated, it puts lives at risk. A pilot car operator who doesn't have accurate overhead clearance data is flying blind. We urge this body to prioritize modernizing permit routing systems and ensuring bridge and overhead obstruction data is current and reliable.

On the ECONOMIC side,

pilot car operators are small business owners. We invest in our vehicles, our insurance, and our certifications. When permit fees increase without corresponding improvements to the system, or when escort rules are applied inconsistently from one jurisdiction to the next, it creates uncertainty that makes it harder for us to plan routes, price our services, and keep our businesses running.

Weekend and holiday travel restrictions, while well-intentioned, often force loads onto already-congested weekday corridors — increasing risk rather than reducing it. We ask this body to consider flexible travel windows that allow heavy-haul movement during lower-traffic periods, improving both safety and efficiency.

We are not asking for deregulation. We are asking for smart regulation — rules that are consistent, data-driven, and informed by the people who actually drive these routes every day.

Pilot car operators are partners in safety. We ask that this body include our industry in stakeholder sessions, rulemaking comment periods, and routing system updates. We know the corridors, the bottlenecks, and the hazards — and we are ready to share that knowledge.

Thank you for your time and for the opportunity to comment.