Certified Escort

[In_The_Wind]

Ask me anything.

[Tobin S.]

1. What does a good pilot car driver make a year?

Are most escorts self-employed?

[In_The_Wind]

3. One guy said he was going to gross $100,000 a few years back.

He was in New York giving the class to become Certified in the state of Washington.
I can work anywhere thanks to him.

About 70% are self-employed.

I just took on a partner in my business: an ex truck driver.
He turned in his truck two weeks ago after 34 years.

[MrYikes]

2. what is the appropriate date (evening) for the anniversary of a 40 year unrequited love?

From experience I know it should not involve swimsuits or touching.

[In_The_Wind]

4. D'oh. I haven't a clue.

Love struck

[jakeXT]

5. What's your adrenaline level doing while driving the wrong way.

I once had to drive and escape into a ditch, gave me the shock of my live.

[In_The_Wind]

6. Extremely high! I played chicken, assisted by Canadian Police.

In the States, my job is easier when the load requires Police assistance, they do the dangerous stuff.
I first 20 wide load was as the front car. I had to block bridges so the load could move. There is no way to learn that except by experience.

Usually ... cars just pull over onto the shoulder.

[taterguy]

7. What recourse do you have if a customer stiffs you?

[In_The_Wind]

8. Kiss my investment goodbye.

My biggest loss was to Tommie L. Hoots of Nationwide Escorting in Texas.
She owes me $3200 that I'll never see. I took the trucking company to court to no avail.

I lost a two day's pay in New York a few years back.

The only private accounts I have are locals.
I work with a broker almost all of the time now. Not all brokers are honest either.

State Line in New York is the best.

[Paulie]

9. What was the biggest load you've escorted?

Anything in the scale of the space shuttle or a house?

[In_The_Wind]

10. 128 feet long with a 17 1/2 foot rear overhang was my longest.

I think just under 25 foot was the widest.
That was an overnight move out of Thetford Mines in Quebec Canada.
I sat (lived there in my jeep) for 72 hours waiting for the 5 Police Escorts.
If I knew what I was getting into (an Asbestos Mine) I doubt that I would have gone after that piece. It was a crusher being shipped overseas out of Texas.

http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/asbestos_canada.html

[Paulie]

11. Was that crusher in a plastic bag?

Can't imagine they could decontaminate it enough to haul it all the way without having crap fall of it.

[In_The_Wind]

12. The crusher was clean. US Customs wouldn't have let it in otherwise.

My problem is wondering how much of that is in my lungs.
I got there Monday night expecting to run.

[lastlib]

13. You're *CERTIFIED* now??

I've been thinking you were *certifiable*...........

[In_The_Wind]

19. You are in good company. Half of DU agrees with you!

[Lady Freedom Returns]

14. What does a "Certified Escort" do?

[Lady Freedom Returns]

24. Is it a type of driver?

[In_The_Wind]

25. I was going to let Jeff R explain

since he has hired & trained escorts for over a quarter of a century.

New York calls us Certified Escorts while other states calls us pilot cars.
The job is the same, trying to keep everyone from crashing into a slow_moving_over_size_load.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

30. Pilot Car!!!

I should have known that!

[In_The_Wind]

31. But I work in New York ... we are called Escorts.

If I said Certified Pilot Car I would not be correct.
The license clearly states that I am an ESCORT!

[Lady Freedom Returns]

32. I should have figured it out with what people were writing.

My grandfather was a Teamster Shop Stewart. He is up there right now, more than likely wanting to pop the back of my head.

Congratulations!!!!

[Jeff R]

33. Certified Escort...

That is a required class of 2 days. It is not a uniform stipulation for all 48 states.
Utah, Oklahoma, Washington, Florida and North Carolina are the main states that have a reciprocity agreement with each other.
New York is a state that also requires a test however their certification is pretty much valid in the Northeast only.
Kansas is the only state that has a separate test just for superloads. Exceeding certain gross weights, lengths, or width.
Most states at this point have NO type of certification. This can create a legal as well as a logistics problem for all concerned.
Like any job in the transportation industry there is a big push to standardize things on a national level.
The states of Utah and Washington send people out to train in other states.
The others require that you take the class and/or test in their state.
The certification runs from $130.00 to $200.00. Utah and Washington again charge the higher fees as they come out for the class.
New York is only $40.00.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

34. Hummm...

Maybe I might want to do some looking into it.

It could be a nice change.

[Jeff R]

36. Inside track...

It is something that as with any business venture it will need some money up front to get started yet turns out to be lucrative with some work and planning.
You know who to ask.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

37. What I have been thing is Dave has yet to touch his small business benifets via VA.

Old G.I bill. We have been talking about what we could do, but they block a lot of things like restaurants and bars. But something like this is OK.

A lot to think about.

Thank you for giving something to think about.

[HipChick]

15. And here I was thinking...

I could ask you how to meet an introvert agrophobic meets dates?

[In_The_Wind]

21. I have no idea. Maybe a visit to the White House is in order.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018375803

[rug]

16. What do you do when somebody cuts in between you and the truck?

[Jeff R]

18. Which time ...

Invariably that will happen, not supposed to but it does.

The type of load has a great deal to do with what is required. If the load is just long or extremely wide letting the driver know there is a car right there, and leaving them enough room to get out from behind the load is usually all it takes to prevent any serious problems.

On the bad side if there is an overhang (especially one that is flexible, up and down) then you can only attempt to make the vehicle that got between you and the load aware of the peril.

If the escort is positioned properly, that should be enough of a deterrent to keep them from running up under the load.

I have been on the other end driving the big load for over three decades, communication between both truck and escort vehicle is paramount. Awareness of surroundings and ability for both parties to work well together keeps a lot of unpleasant situations from developing in the first place.

Above all panic is not an option!

[rug]

20. Welcome to DU!

I've noticed, especially the hill on I-84 between Port Jervis and Middletown, that a gap sometimes forms between the escort(s) and the truck. When the truck inevitably slows on the upgrade, I've seen cars duck into the gap to get around a slower car in the passing lane.

Maybe I've just been expecting a hand to come out of the escort and slap the driver as he passes.

[Jeff R]

23. From your mouth to the universe

It is the normal routine, they have more important places to be.

It is not as bad if it is between the front car and the load, that is something that will happen.
The lead car is out there to give the load notice of shoulder activity, lane blockages, etc.
so that the rear car and the load can move to avoid the hazard in a safe and timely fashion.

Thanks for the welocome

[hrmjustin]

26. Welcome to DU my friend!

[Jeff R]

27. Thanks

In_The_Wind has been trying to get me on site for quite some time.

[Aristus]

17. Care to be my escort?

[In_The_Wind]

22. Of course. Where do we meet.

[Aristus]

39. Someplace private.

[Taverner]

28. Who certified you and what does it cost?

[In_The_Wind]

29. New York State $40. State of Washington $180.

Only Kansas requires extra certification for a Super_Load.

I also have TWIC which allows me into secure areas ... any overseas shipping port.

[Locut0s]

35. Good thing I read the replies before replying. Here I was thinking your meant "adult escort"...

I was wondering what the certified meant.

[In_The_Wind]

40. I guess it could mean that I'm good!

[img][/img]

[EvilAL]

38. Which of my testicles

hangs lower when doing a handstand?

[In_The_Wind]

41. Perhaps

The heaviest one ...


Why would I know this [img][/img]

[EvilAL]

42. Most professional escorts

take the testicle training course, TTC, for the customers safety.

[In_The_Wind]

43. Testicles have nothing to do with being a Certified NYS Escort!

[EvilAL]

44. You're right,

having an over-sized load has nothing to do with testicles.

[In_The_Wind]

45. The NYS DOT shut one load down at the state line for 2 month.

We called it Big Red.

[img]
Big Red finally made it into Canada, to it's final resting place ... late.


Guess ... NY kept Canada safe.

[EvilAL]

46. Well if we can't rely

on NY to keep us safe we might as well just kill ourselves and get it over with. heheh

[In_The_Wind]

47. I'm up there when I'm needed to help move the rubbish out ...

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http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/asbestos_canada.html


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You are welcome. You don't need to thank me.