Escort flag vehicles are required to ensure the safety of the traveling public and the safe movement of the permitted vehicle. In addition to private escorts, TxDMV may require you to obtain law enforcement escorts for your permitted vehicle. The escort flag vehicle operator must warn the traveling public when any of the following conditions exists:.
See the Special Escort Requirements section for manufactured housing and portable building escorts. Escort requirements for most loads and permit types are listed below. If a load exceeds escort requirements in two dimensions, front and rear escorts are required. For example, if a load is feet wide and feet long, one escort is required for the width and one escort is required for the length. This rule does not apply if the two dimensions are length and overhang.
Escort vehicles are required to be a single unit with a gross vehicle weight of not less than 1, pounds and not more than 10, pounds. Escort flag vehicles must be equipped as follows:. An escort flag vehicle must have two flashing amber lights or one rotating amber beacon of not less than eight inches in diameter fixed to the roof of the escort flag vehicle.
The light must be visible from all sides of the escort flag vehicle. Starting Sept. Warning flags must be made of red or orange fluorescent material and at least inches square. Flags should be securely mounted on a staff or securely fastened to at least one corner to the widest extremities of the overwidth vehicle and placed at the rear of an overlength vehicle or vehicle with a rear overhang in excess of four feet.
An escort flag vehicle must maintain two-way communications with the permitted vehicle and other escort flag vehicles involved with the movement of the permitted vehicle. Any permitted vehicle that exceeds feet in height must have a front escort flag vehicle equipped with a height pole made of nonconductive metal to accurately measure overhead obstructions. Manufactured housing and portable buildings have special escort requirements when moved under the provisions of permit types specific to these load types.
