PILOT CARS
INDUSTRY FOCUS
53
JUNE 2014
ACT
company that can cover theirnationwide
needs.
“Trucking companies are always
looking forways to cut their costs,” she
said. “While thegrassmay lookgreener,
it has beenmy experience thatwith the
rising costs ofmany state certifications,
insurance, gas, incidentals such as
deadheadmiles/nobackhauls, food,
repairs,motels, accidents (just toname
a few), that it just isn’tworth the few
pennies they ‘might’ save.”
Today, heavyhaul business is centered
on infrastructure improvements, bridge
beams and the like, Incontrera said.
“Wedoour fair shareof ‘toys’ likeboats,
butmostly it’s construction-related loads.
We arebased inNewYorkCity, and I
don’t thinkwe aregoing to seemanywind
farms sproutingup inMidtown.With
all the subsidizedworkon thebooks,we
should continue togrow at a steadypace.”
Greene-Smithhas been escorting
everything fromhighprofile armed
government loadsneeding twopilot car
drivers in the samevehicle aswell as
airplanes,machinery, bridgebeams and
steel structures.
Pilot car certification?
Ahot subject amongpilot car services
companies iswhether there should
be some sort ofmandatedpilot car
certificationprogram.
“I amoneof a fewnationwide and
Canadapilot car companies that
represents theSC&RA’sPilotCar
TaskForce,”Greene-Smith said. “We
developedwhatwas considered the ‘best
practices’ for thepilot car industry.Many
stateshave adopted thesepracticeswhen
implementing their state certification
programs. I donotwant the federal
government dictatingwhatwe can
and cannot dowithour businesses.
With that said, states aregettingout of
control nickel anddiming theseMom
andPopbusinesseswith their own
state certifications. It seemsno two
states require the sameprocedures and
equipment and everyone is expected to
know that states’ laws andhow that one
officer is going to interpret that law.”
Incontrera advocates anational pilot car
certification, like the endorsements on a
driver’s license fordouble, triples and/or
hazmat.
“I also advocate for the regulationof the
pilot car itself alongwith thedriver,”he
said. “All vehicles shouldhave toundergo
an inspection every twoyears tobe sure
theymeet thenational standard. The
driver shouldbeheld to similar standards
as aCDLdriver of anon-CDLvehicle
traveling the interstate, such ashours
of service,medical certification and a
national endorsement on thedriver’s
license.We take the taskof piloting and
escorting as seriously as itwas intended.
Our first responsibility is towarn and
protect thepublic,which is avery serious
concern. When I am escorting, and I do
veryoften, I thinkof theother vehicles
on the road aroundme as if theywere
carryingmy family. Iwouldnot allow any
actionof thedriver topossiblyhurt them
or anyotherperson. This ishowwe train
our staff.”
■
Much of thework of pilot car companies
dealswith infrastructure and construction-
related components such as steel beams,
concrete bridge spans
and the like.
