Alaska pilot car regulations
Certification: required. Pilot/escort drivers must finish State-approved flagger training and carry proof of it while working. They must be at least 18 (19 or 21 if the escort is a commercial vehicle).
From Alaska's own rules and pages, checked 2026-10-24. Rules change: the state's page is the last word.
- Minimum age
- 18 for noncommercial escort vehicles; 19 for intrastate commercial; 21 for interstate commercial
- Escort vehicle
- A legal-size car or light truck with 360-degree visibility, not towing anything. A vehicle that itself needs an oversize/overweight permit cannot be an escort. Commercial vehicle rules apply above 10,000 lb GVWR (interstate) or 14,000 lb (intrastate).Source
- Sign
- "OVERSIZE", "WIDE LOAD" or "LONG LOAD" sign on the front when leading and on the rear when following. The manual's sign standard: black letters on yellow, at least 48 inches long by 12 inches high, letters at least 10 inches tall with a 1 1/2 inch brush stroke.
- Lights
- Roof-mounted amber high-intensity rotating, flashing, oscillating or strobe beacon visible for at least 500 feet.
- Flags
- Driver carries a red hand flag for stopping or controlling traffic when parked. Stop/slow paddle and red flags may never be shown out of the window of a moving vehicle.
- Height pole
- Over 17 feet high (and over 16'6" under Glenn Highway bridges, MP 0-27): a front pilot car with a height pole at least 6 inches higher than the load, rigid with a flexible top section. No pole needed north of the Fox Weigh Station.
- Other equipment
- 18 or 24 inch STOP/SLOW paddle; three bi-directional reflective triangles; one 5 B:C fire extinguisher; high-visibility vest, shirt or jacket (worn when out of the vehicle); flashlight with red cone or lighted wand plus spare batteries; two-way radio contact with the truck (truck must have a CB).
- Insurance
- Pilot/escort vehicles must carry commercial vehicle insurance (no amount stated).Source