Escort vehicle

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An escort vehicle is an automobile used to escort trucks with large loads, convoys of large vehicles, guide motorists through construction sites, and assist aircraft in taxiing from the runway to the tarmac at many airports.

[edit] Oversize vehicle escorts

Escort vehicles will typically take positions directly in front and behind the truck or convoy being escorted. For overwidth or overheight trucks one escort vehicle will ride several miles ahead of the truck to ensure the road ahead can accommodate the truck's oversize dimensions.^{[citation needed]} This lead vehicle is usually equipped with a long pole that extends upward from the front bumper; its length can be adjusted to match the height of the truck or the tallest vehicle in a convoy.^{[citation needed]} If the pole strikes any overhanging objects such as bridges, overhead signs, or power lines, the truck or convoy can be alerted and stopped long before an accident occurs.

[edit] Construction site escorts

Road construction sites are places where traffic patterns can suddenly shift and driving lanes abruptly change, often leading to driver confusion and accidents.^{[citation needed]} Some transportation departments employ escort vehicles to guide motorists through construction areas to ensure safety of the motorists and the construction workers.^{[citation needed]}

At some construction sites, particularly on very minor roads, an escort vehicle is used to facilitate convoys of traffic passing in alternating directions were only a single lane is available. Sometimes this is combined with using the vehicles to enforce a particularly low speed limit.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Aircraft escort vehicles

Some of the more crowded airports use escort vehicles to guide arriving planes taxiing from the runway to the tarmac and departing planes from the parking area to the runway.^{[citation needed]}