Certified Escort Driver
OVERVIEW OF ARIZONA LAW
Every person operating an escort vehicle (pilot car) must be trained and certified in safety best practices for escorting over-dimensional loads. The training curriculum involves two requirements: the Pilot Car Escort Best Practices Guidelines developed cooperatively by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA); and a minimum of four (4) hours of traffic control/flagger training based on the National Safety Council's flagger training program. Escort vehicle operators who do not possess a valid Arizona Escort Vehicle Operator certificate, or a valid certificate from any of the other nine states (listed below) that require certification may be cited and the load they are escorting placed out of service.
ARIZONA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION IS AUTHORIZED TRAINING ENTITY
Under a longstanding agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Arizona Trucking Association offers Escort Vehicle Operator training and certification, issues the recognized certification cards and maintains the database of certified operators that is accessible to enforcement officers and companies hiring pilot car services. Certification is valid for four (4) years.
Click the button above to view database of currently certified operators. Names of newly certified and re-certified escort vehicle operators are entered as soon as they receive the required training, while those who fail to maintain their certification are dropped from the list. Enforcement officers utilize the database to determine whether escort vehicle operators are currently certified.
TESTING AND CREDENTIALS
Following completion of training classes, each applicant must pass a written test covering the best practices and traffic control subject matter and must score 80% to pass. Successful applicants then are issued a signed and laminated Pilot Car Certification Card and their names and card numbers entered into the statewide database. Neither the Arizona Trucking Association nor its instructors guarantee that an individual will pass the exam and receive certification.
Most Pilot Car training classes are held quarterly at the Arizona Trucking Association, but groups of twenty or more participants may qualify for onsite training depending upon availability of instructional staff. Call us at 602-850-6000 to discuss onsite class scheduling.
Click on the button above for the next class registration form. The next regularly-scheduled Pilot Car training class will be June 21, 2013.
OTHER STATES' CREDENTIALS ACCEPTED BY ARIZONA
Escort vehicle operators already trained and certified by another state that requires both best practices and traffic control training may present that state’s certificate to law enforcement officials as proof of valid certification, as long as the certificate is valid in the certifying state.
*Other states that require escort vehicle/pilot car operator training and certification are: Colorado; Florida; Kansas; New York; North Carolina; Oklahoma; Utah; Virginia; and Washington.
Rules & Documents
Click here for a PDF entitled “Pilot Car Operator Rules". This 10-page document outlines the requirements that were put into rule in September 2006, based on Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) 28-1110.
Click here to view the the 4-page document of changes that were put into rule in September 2009, based on amendments to Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) 28-1110.
ATA Endorsed Programs
