You’ve seen them: trucks or cars driving in front of a truck with a trailer pulling a very wide load. These are called pilot cars, and the people who drive them are professionals who specialize in that form of driving. He may have thought those cars and trucks were part of a team, but in fact, the driver of the pilot car is usually someone hired to carry cargo across a particular state. So what does it take to be a pilot driver? Read on and find out.
There is a certain amount of equipment that your vehicle will require. For example, you’ll need a fire extinguisher, CB radio, flags, and a large loading sign. It goes without saying that you need a highly reliable vehicle capable of handling long journeys. Equipment requirements can vary from state to state, so it is important to have the equipment required by the states in which you work.
Gathering the equipment you need is the easy part. The hard part is living the lifestyle necessary to succeed in the industry. The life of a race car is very similar to that of a truck driver, as it requires many hours of driving with limited interruptions. Like truck drivers, they are paid by the mile. Therefore, the more miles you can drive in a day, the more you can earn.
There is one area where these drivers are at a disadvantage relative to the truck drivers accompanying them: the driver of the pilot car has nowhere to sleep! When the day is over, the driver of a pilot car must find a hotel. This adds to his time on the road and is an additional expense to consider.
There is also a certain level of danger associated with driving a race car. There may be times when quick lane changes or other position changes are required to accommodate the needs of the wide load vehicle. Aggressive driving is sometimes required, so timidity is not a trait that leads to success in this field.
This type of riding is not something you should decide to do without training. The best thing to do to get into the field is to find an experienced driver who will allow you to ride and, later on, maybe even drive the vehicle yourself. The greater the load and the more difficult the situation, the higher the level of training that will be required to drive safely and efficiently.
Driving a race car is not an easy life, and it definitely requires a high level of concentration and determination. But if driving is your thing and you’re willing to live a trucker-like lifestyle, then it’s a profession you may find very fulfilling.
