MODULE 3: Route Planning

LESSON 1: ROUTE SELECTION AND REVIEW

The route for moving the oversize load is frequently set out in the permits issued by each State, but when the route is not specified by the State, the final decision about the route falls to the permit holder (i.e., the carrier or the load driver). In certain situations, a route survey may be required in order for a permit to be issued, and in many cases, the entities that own the load or the carriers who are transporting it require the route survey.

Although the responsibility for the permit and meeting any of its conditions, including a route survey requirement, lies with the carrier, many pilot/escort vehicle operators (P/EVO) conduct those route surveys. In fact, many individuals in the P/EVO industry agree that the route survey should be done by the lead P/EVO who will actually run the height pole during load movement. This provides an extra measure of safety because having seen the restrictions along the route while doing the route survey greatly enhances the lead P/EVO's ability to notify the load driver of hazards in time to avoid problems.

The purpose of the route survey is to document, turn-by-turn, the roadways for the load movement and to identify the difficulties and restrictions along the route. The focus is on risk identification and contingency planning for successfully managing risks. Notifying the permit office of problems is important; that information can provide more accurate information about clearances for transportation databases, for example, thereby benefiting many oversize load moments and enhancing safety of the industry at large.

Specific routes are selected to provide extra measures of safety for highway users. Because safety, rather than the shortest route, is the priority, the selected route may involve increased distance and roads with lower speed limits. Carriers must follow the route specified on a permit. Load movement in areas not on the specified route constitutes a violation of the permit that in most States renders the permit invalid.⁴⁷

Railroad crossings are extremely hazardous. Simply knowing about hazardous crossings does not reduce their potential negative impact on load movement.

Many individuals are capable of documenting the roadways, turns, and directions of travel for a specified route. As discussed here, a route survey involves much more than turn-by-turn instructions. The route survey must identify all potential hazards and be highly detailed and accurate. A properly performed route survey that is shared among all the load movement team members is critical to the safe movement of the load. Potential hazards and contingency plans for addressing them combine to reduce the likelihood of collisions, making wrong turns, or failing to alert load drivers in time to respond to a hazard safely.⁴⁸

The information provided by a comprehensive and accurate route survey can facilitate updates and error corrections in transportation databases. It is obvious that these kinds of updates should come from a thorough route survey rather than from an oversize load striking a bridge or becoming lodged on a railroad crossing. In fact, these are two reasons why route surveys are conducted in the first place: bridge strikes with tall loads and truck/train collisions with low-ground-clearance loads becoming lodged at a highway-rail crossing. Specific information about the destination should also be covered on the day the load is to be delivered.

LESSON 2: ROUTE SURVEY

Route Survey Tools

P/EVOs need several pieces of equipment to conduct route surveys. These include current, up-to-date maps, measuring devices, a height pole, dashboard camera, digital voice recorder, a camera that shoots both still frames and video, and safety equipment adequate for roadside operations.

Maps, On-Board Navigation Systems, and GPS Devices.⁴⁹ P/EVOs should have top-quality and up-to-date maps, especially State-issued maps that indicate weight-restricted bridges, bridge clearance data, and width-restriction maps for the permitted route. As part of the pre-trip planning, maps should be requested for every State on the route.

When the route is established, on-board and other navigation devices can be programmed to provide turn-by-turn instructions and alerts. Navigation devices, as well as GPS units, must be updated frequently and the P/EVO, in particular the lead P/EVO, must be familiar with the route and operation of any navigation devices long before the load movement begins.⁵⁰ It is vital to remember, however, that no device can replace a meticulously developed route survey when it comes to the movement of oversize loads.

Height Pole.⁵¹ When doing a route survey for tall loads, the P/EVO should (or as required by the State) have the height pole installed. (See information about height pole installation and operation in Module 5, Lesson 2.)

Other Useful Equipment

Dashboard cameras, digital voice recorders, and still cameras are useful to record information and quickly and safely capture details about the route to add to the official route survey. Photographs can be added to the route survey to better inform the carrier and load driver of hazards and obstacles. It is important to acknowledge that manual measurements will still be required. Images, still or video, should never replace accurate measurements.

Route Survey banner, STOP/SLOW paddle, safety vest, hardhat, amber light on vehicle, flashlight with cone, triangles/cones for protecting surveyor when measuring overpasses, etc. are strongly recommended.

Route Survey Procedures

Route surveys should be conducted as close to the time of the load movement as possible. Even fog patterns can be predicted, as well as the resulting delays in load movement. It is also important to remember the time of year. A plan that may have previously worked for a summer trip may not work during the winter, for example.

The P/EVO should get as much information as possible about the load: height, length, width, weight, and any overhangs, as well as the configuration of the vehicle. Find out about the origination point, the target departure and arrival dates, the route, and destination. This information can be used to identify risks and the need for any special equipment and personnel. This information must be gathered before starting the route survey.

No warning lights or flags should be displayed unless the escort vehicle is actively engaged in conducting a route survey (or in load movement, of course). Several States fine P/EVOs for having the warning light on and/or Oversize Load sign(s) displayed when not involved in escort activities, although conducting a route survey is certainly a P/EVO activity. As with all other aspects of pilot/escort vehicle operations, States vary in what they allow and require.

Height Pole Setting. The route survey must include the height pole setting used to perform the survey, as well as the actual lanes measured. The height pole should be checked at every opportunity: anytime the surveyor stops, including food and fuel stops, breaks, etc. (See Module 5, Lesson 2 regarding height pole calibration.)

Route Survey Contents

What a route survey must include is based on who is requesting it — at least in part. Most route surveys address the following questions:

• Basic information:
  • Name of person conducting route survey.
  • Date of route survey.
  • The exact points of origin and destination.
  • Route survey start and stop times.
  • Ambient temperature and start time.
  • Weather and traffic conditions during the route survey AND predicted weather and traffic conditions during permit dates. Include average temperature range, average precipitation, and forecasts for permitted dates.
• Permit number, if known, carrier trip/project identification number.
• Notations of time and duration between stops, especially on multi-day movements.
• Contact information/emergency numbers:
  • P/EVO name, phone number, certification information (State, dates, CDL, endorsements, etc.).
  • Carrier name/contact information.
  • Law enforcement escort contact information: officer name (not dispatch).
  • Local jurisdiction contact information, alternate numbers for each jurisdiction.
  • List of county sheriffs and/or enforcement and/or permitting officials for each jurisdiction on the route.
  • Contact information for law enforcement and weather warnings.
• Load information:
  • Description of the load vehicle: license plate #/State, vehicle identification number, year, make, model.
  • Description of the load: weight, height, width, overall length, front/rear overhang, air suspension (can trailer be raised or lowered, for example), vehicle configuration, number of pivot points, number of axles, steerable axles.
• Transportation infrastructure/roadway conditions/facilities:
  • Route survey should indicate each of the following, description, and the exact location of each:
    • Bridges, overhead wires, traffic lights, overhead signs, delineators, guardrails, road side signs, signs that need to be removed/replaced (and who will do that).
    • Adverse road surface conditions (indicate by use of mile markers).
    • Features of the terrain; i.e., sharp curves, steep grades, heavy traffic zones in municipalities or industrial areas, school zones.
    • Seasonal road closures or construction restrictions.
• Stopping/parking locations:
  • Safe "turn-out" areas for emergency parking or allowing traffic to pass the load.
  • Safe overnight parking areas.
  • Fuel stops with adequate turning radius and pull-through parking.
  • Rest areas.
• Ports-of-entry and inspection stations.

The route survey should include city, county, and State streets and highways, as well as U.S. and Interstate highways on the route. Every intersection and roadway should be listed, along with any obstructions (e.g., overhead obstructions if the load is tall, wires, signs, traffic lights, tree limbs, bridges, or changes in roadway elevation and railroad crossings for loads with low ground clearance). In addition, weight-restricted bridges should be identified.

Every intersection should be surveyed for turn difficulties and the load must be able to make a safe turn. Of course, where the load is will determine where the P/EVOs will need to be, and the situation will dictate when traffic control operations are needed.

The exact locations of all obstructions should be identified, including mile markers, distance from previous turn or last intersection, prominent landmarks or signs, etc. Escape ramp locations along the route should be noted as should information about shoulder width or a lack of shoulders.⁵² The route survey should also include estimated miles between major intersections and turns on the route.

For narrow roads, the P/EVO or other route surveyor should measure guardrail to guardrail, across bridge abutments, the distance to masonry mailboxes, or other obstructions on the roadside. This is most important for wide loads. The height of the guardrails should also be noted.

If low overhead lines or other overhead obstacles do NOT clear the height pole, the P/EVO (or other individual conducting the route survey) should safely park and manually measure the overhead obstruction. Measure at the lowest and highest points, and indicate the specific lane measurement.

The distance to road signs and signs that will have to be removed should be noted on the route survey. Shoulder width is another important measurement that should be included.

Railroad Crossings

When assessing railroad crossings, the individual conducting the route survey must know the ground clearance of the load. Information about each railroad crossing should be outlined in the route survey, including the rail company that maintains the crossing and the contact information for reporting emergencies at each crossing on the route. According to USDOT's Grade Crossing Safety Task Force,

Maps used to define special vehicle routes typically do not identify rail crossings, nor do they contain notations of crossings with high profiles or limited widths, storage space, or signal phasing times that could be problematic for vehicles that are extra wide, high, long, low or heavy. These crossing characteristics are usually not captured in State transportation agency inventories of physical infrastructure and even when they are, they are generally not provided to or used by the agencies that issue special permits. Updating and maintaining this database, when it exists, constitute additional problems.⁵³

When performing a route survey, time the lights and watch the intersection and the traffic flow coming from nearby intersections. To avoid trapping long vehicles on the tracks, it is important to know that highway traffic signal timing isn't "geared" for long loads.

Of course, the goal is to plan a route that doesn't put the oversize load on railroad tracks, especially loads with low clearance or very long loads. The best way to prevent a rail-highway crossing collision is to plan the route where there are underpasses or overpasses at each point the highway crosses a railroad track.

Identify and include safe pull-out areas near each crossing, and measure the distance between rails and stop signs or traffic lights. It is vital the load be able to get across the tracks and through any controlled intersections near the rails to avoid the load being trapped on the rails by a stop sign or traffic light.⁵⁴

Every P/EVO and load driver should know who maintains tracks at crossings along the route. And, the route survey should include information about who maintains tracks at places where the load must cross them. Railroad companies provide information at each intersection of rail and road about the company that maintains the crossing, emergency contact numbers, crossing numbers, and other information. This information should be included in the route survey.

Observe signals near tracks to make sure they are performing properly. Is there adequate green time and physical space between the tracks for long loads to cross them all? Is there enough space between the tracks to allow the load to stop there with plenty of space between the load and the tracks (at least 6 feet from tracks, for example)? In addition, it's important to know how to contact entity responsible for each crossing in case of emergency, or to answer questions.⁵⁵ Module 5, Lesson 5 includes more detailed information about railroad crossings.

Special Operations Needed

• Traffic control/flagging in counterflow and other situations.
• Law enforcement escorts.

Paperwork

• Letters from utilities and railroads.
• Copies of permits.
• Copies of previous route surveys for the area.

Terminology Issues

The lead P/EVO should announce to the team, "Cleared bridge in lane X." And the load driver should respond "copy" or "clear."

Use the lane terminology agreed to by team: Lanes 1, 2, 3; or, outside, middle, inside; or left, center, right, etc. Regardless of the terminology used, be sure that all team members know and understand it.

Route Survey Report Formats

As with other P/EVO practices and procedures, no standard format exists for oversize load route surveys. Route surveys range from hand-written notes to more formal approaches.

When possible, escorts should check any numbers provided on permits to make certain the numbers are correct. If mistakes are found, the permit offices should be notified of the error.

Once the data is gathered, the route survey "package" should include an accurate oversize transport map, turn-by-turn descriptions, photos of potential problem areas, and other items discussed in this section. As mentioned, each load, the route, the conditions, and the load movement team is unique. It is reasonable to acknowledge, therefore, that each route survey will also be unique and the surveyor must adjust the survey to the load being moved.

Route Survey Evaluation

All aspects of the route survey should be discussed, including the scope of the information and the accuracy of it. The following questions should be addressed: Was the route survey complete? What additional information was needed? What other information would have been useful in this context? Was the route survey accurate? If not, what effects did the inaccuracies or lack of information have on the load movement? What suggestions do team members have that might improve future route surveys? See Module 6 for other post-trip activities.

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