18.8.511A    WHEN PILOT VEHICLES ARE REQUIRED

(1) Unless otherwise specified in statute, rule, or the terms of the special permit issued to the permittee, pilot vehicles are required if one or more of the following conditions apply:

(a) Non-Interstate highways:

(i) Width – loads exceeding 12 feet 6 inches to 16 feet 6 inches must have one front pilot vehicle; width over 16 feet 6 inches, one rear pilot vehicle;

(ii) Width – loads exceeding 16 feet 6 inches to 18 feet must have one front and one rear pilot vehicle; length over 120 feet, one rear pilot vehicle;

(iii) Width – loads exceeding 18 feet to 24 feet must have at least two front and one rear pilot vehicles;

(iv) Width – loads exceeding 24 feet must have at least two front and two rear pilot vehicles;

(v) Length – loads exceeding 150 feet must have one rear pilot vehicle;

(vi) Length – loads exceeding 200 feet must have one front and one rear pilot vehicle.

(b) Interstate highways:

(i) Width – loads exceeding 16 feet 6 inches to 18 feet must have one rear pilot vehicle. Vehicles exempted under 61-10-102(2)(a), MCA may only travel during hours of darkness with one rear pilot vehicle;

(ii) Width – loads exceeding 18 feet must have at least two rear pilot vehicles side by side. Vehicles exempted under 61-10-102(2)(a), MCA may only travel during hours of darkness with two rear pilot vehicles;

(c) Height – loads exceeding 17 to 24 feet must have one front pilot vehicle equipped with a height pole and/or any other equivalent device detecting overhead dimensions.

(d) Height – loads exceeding 24 feet must have one front pilot vehicle equipped with a height pole and/or any other equivalent device detecting overhead dimensions and one rear pilot vehicle.

(2) In the event a load meets more than one of the criteria for the use of pilot vehicles, the criteria requiring the greatest number of pilot vehicles will determine the number of pilot vehicles necessary for travel.

(3) A vehicle or load not equipped as required in ARM 18.8.510B must use one front and one rear pilot vehicle for all travel.

(4) If a vehicle or load is not required to have a pilot vehicle for interstate travel, and the permitted load is not subject to ARM 18.8.602, no pilot vehicle is required for a radius of two miles of an interstate interchange.

(5) Overweight vehicles must meet the additional pilot requirements in ARM 18.8.602.

(6) Additional pilot vehicles or traffic control plans may be required and must be approved by the department through the super-load application.

(7) When movement requires pilot vehicles, the permittee must not delay traffic in excess of 15 minutes.

History: 61-10-155, MCA; IMP, 61-10-102, 61-10-121, 61-10-122, 61-10-123, 61-10-124, MCA; NEW, 1988 MAR p. 1704, Eff. 7/29/88; AMD, 1989 MAR p. 321, Eff. 2/24/89; AMD, 1990 MAR p. 591, Eff. 3/30/90; AMD, 1991 MAR p. 2219, Eff. 11/15/91; AMD, 1996 MAR p. 2980, Eff. 7/19/96; AMD, 1997 MAR p. 647, Eff. 4/8/97; AMD, 2000 MAR p. 1075, Eff. 4/28/00; AMD, 2004 MAR p. 2392, Eff. 10/8/04; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 206, Eff. 1/27/06; AMD, 2012 MAR p. 1775, Eff. 7/13/12; AMD, 2020 MAR p. 1626, Eff. 8/29/20.