Skip to Content

Pilot Car Escort Requirements

Permit Sonoma Banner 750

This information is intended to facilitate use of applications such as Google Earth and Google Maps, traffic viewers in order to assist in making pilot car determinations.

Guidelines for Sonoma County Roads

Green route

Any roadway or a portion thereof with a center line stripe, an edge line and a shoulder width that’s a minimum of 4 feet (Lakeville Road and Stony Point Road are examples of Green routes).

Blue route

Any roadway or a portion thereof with a center line stripe and an edge line but with a shoulder width less than 4 feet.

Brown route

Any roadway or a portion thereof without a center line stripe or any roadway or a portion hereof with a center line stripe but without an edge (aka “fog”) line.

In Feet Multi-lane
Class 1
> + = 4 Feet
Class 2
> + = 11 Feet
Class 2
< 11 Feet
Class 3
Width >10 - 11 None None None 1 Car
Width >11 - 12 None None 1 Car 1 Car
Width >12 - 13 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car 2 Cars
Width >13 - 14 1 Car 1 Car 2 Cars 2 Cars
Width >14 - 15 1 Car 2 Cars 2 Cars 2 Cars
Width >15 - 16 2 Cars CHP CHP CHP
Width >16 CHP CHP CHP CHP
Length >85 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car
Length >100 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car
Length >125 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car
Overhang > 25 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car

Classes

  1. Multilane freeways (no two lane routes).
    Until width exceeds 15 feet 0 inches, the maximum number of pilot cars is one
  2. Two lane expressways and conventional highways with twelve-foot (3.6 meters) lanes and a paved shoulder greater than or equal to four feet (1.6 meters).
  3. Two lane expressways and conventional highways with a lane width greater than or equal to eleven feet (3.3 meters) and a shoulder width less than four feet (1.6 meters).
  4. Two lane expressways and conventional highways with lane widths less than eleven feet (3.3 meters) and no paved shoulder.

Notes:

  • Dashed Routes - Pilot car is required when KPRA exceeds 38 feet 0 inches.
  • The maximum number of pilot cars is two on all routes.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) Escort

In Feet Multi-lane
Class 1
> + = 4 Feet
Class 2
> + = 11 Feet
Class 2
< 11 Feet
Class 3
Width > 16 > 15 > 15 > 15
Length * * > 135 > 135
Height * * > 17 > 17
  • * CHP Escort shall be required anytime opposing lanes are used.
  • Speed CHP Escort maybe required when it is necessary to slow while crossing structure(s).

This information is intended to facilitate use of applications such as Google Earth and Google Maps, traffic viewers in order to assist in making pilot car determinations.

For Operational Restrictions please check the Red Route Summary Table (PDF: 74 kB) provided by Caltrans.

Guidelines for Sonoma County Roads

Green route

Any roadway or a portion thereof with a center line stripe, an edge line and a shoulder width that’s a minimum of 4 feet (Lakeville Road and Stony Point Road are examples of Green routes).

Blue route

Any roadway or a portion thereof with a center line stripe and an edge line but with a shoulder width less than 4 feet.

Brown route

Any roadway or a portion thereof without a center line stripe or any roadway or a portion hereof with a center line stripe but without an edge (aka “fog”) line.

In Feet Multi-lane
Yellow Class 1
> + = 4 Feet
Green Class 2
> + = 11 Feet
 Green Class 2
< 11 Feet
Blue Class 3
Width >10 - 11NoneNone None 1 Car
Width >11 - 12NoneNone 1 Car 1 Car
Width >12 - 131 Car1 Car 1 Car 2 Cars
Width >13 - 141 Car1 Car2 Cars2 Cars
Width >14 - 15 1 Car2 Cars 2 Cars 2 Cars
Width >15 - 16 2 CarsCHP CHP CHP
Width >16 CHPCHP CHP CHP
Length >851 Car 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car
Length >1001 Car 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car
Length >1251 Car 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car
Overhang > 251 Car 1 Car 1 Car 1 Car

Classes

  1. Yellow – Multilane freeways (no two lane routes).
    Until width exceeds 15 feet 0 inches, the maximum number of pilot cars is one
  2. Green – Two lane expressways and conventional highways with twelve-foot (3.6 meters) lanes and a paved shoulder greater than or equal to four feet (1.6 meters).
  3. Blue – Two lane expressways and conventional highways with a lane width greater than or equal to eleven feet (3.3 meters) and a shoulder width less than four feet (1.6 meters).
  4. Brown – Two lane expressways and conventional highways with lane widths less than eleven feet (3.3 meters) and no paved shoulder.

Notes:

Dashed Routes - Pilot car is required when KPRA exceeds 38 feet 0 inches.

The maximum number of pilot cars is two on all routes.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) Escort

In Feet Multi-lane
Yellow Class 1
> + = 4 Feet
Green Class 2
> + = 11 Feet
Green Class 2
< 11 Feet
Blue Class 3
Width > 16> 15> 15> 15
Length**> 135> 135
Height**> 17> 17

* CHP Escort shall be required anytime opposing lanes are used.

Speed CHP Escort maybe required when it is necessary to slow while crossing structure(s).