Nebraska Pilot Car Requirements

Nebraska State Patrol escort required for widths over 20' or as specified in permit conditions (NRS §60-6,294).

Greater than 16 feet in width: TWO escort vehicles, one in FRONT and one in REAR (Title 408 NAC Ch. 3 §003.19C1). A rear escort is not required on a listed freeway/expressway/rural divided segment if the trailer carries backward-facing amber flashing/rotating/strobe lighting visible 800 feet (§003.19E).

Over 14'6" high a POLE CAR may be required to the FRONT at NDOT's discretion (Title 408 NAC Ch. 3 §003.21A). At 16 feet or higher a pole car IS required to the front AND a pre-run route survey must be provided to NDOT in writing before the permit is issued (§003.21B). §001.22 requires the measured height at the top of the pole to be at least three inches above the highest point of the permitted load.

Rear escort. Title 408 NAC Ch. 3 §003.19B2 sets ONE escort at 125 to 150 feet overall and §003.19C2 sets TWO (front + rear) above 150 feet; this entry fires 15 feet early on purpose. Rear escort excused on listed freeway/expressway/rural divided segments with §003.19E rear amber lighting.

Front escort. Nebraska's own length trigger is higher: Title 408 NAC Ch. 3 §003.19B2 requires ONE escort only at 125 to 150 feet overall, and §003.19C2 requires a front escort above 150 feet. This entry fires at 100' on purpose, 25 feet before the state's rule. NOTE §003.19B1's escort is positioned FRONT on undivided highways and REAR on divided ones.

12 to 16 feet in width: ONE escort vehicle is required (Title 408 NAC Ch. 3 §003.19B1, rev. 04-30-2023). Position depends on road type: FRONT on all undivided highways, REAR on divided highways, and within 300 feet of the load. This engine has no road-class field, so the requirement is surfaced as a lead; on a divided highway the single escort belongs behind. Above 16 feet it becomes two escorts, front and rear (§003.19C1). The rear escort may be excused on a listed freeway/expressway/rural divided segment where the trailer carries backward-facing amber lighting visible 800 feet (§003.19E).

Loads over 14'6" wide restricted to daylight movement (sunrise to sunset); night movement prohibited absent a specific permit endorsement. CITATION NOT ESTABLISHED: the figure formerly cited Title 247 NAC Ch. 1 §004.01, which is the wrong title. No daylight trigger at this width was located in Title 408 NAC Ch. 3 on re-audit. Treat as a planning assumption and confirm with NDOT.