About Us

Premium Pilot Car LLC was started by Richard "Skip" Heiser in 2022, and is based out of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Skip had previously worked as a mechanical draftsman, designing custom fire apparatus - a skillset which he used to design and outfit our flagship company vehicle from the ground up. Skip had also worked for various other pilot car businesses over the years, and ultimately decided that he wanted to improve upon what those businesses were doing. As such, Premium Pilot Car was born. Our mission has always been about delivering all the services one expects from a pilot car business, but more than that, we strive to uphold our three biggest standards as much as possible during every run:

We believe this industry needs a base level of professionalism to keep loads running smoothly and on-time, and we present ourselves accordingly. We do not use bungee cords or cheap, magnetic light bars; our mounting hardware was built by Skip himself, and designed to be as quick and efficient during runs as possible. We carefully study each state's regulations, prepare our documents in advance, and maintain clear, concise communications throughout the process, so that no one is left in the dark when we're out on the road.

We believe this industry needs escort drivers who are in it for the job itself, not just the paycheck. Our goal is not to make quick money, or even strictly to make/charge more than our competitors; our goal is to do the job, and do it well. We believe there are too many people in this industry who feel they can strap a banner to a minivan and call themselves escorts, so we set ourselves apart from them. On his own, Skip has been driving commercially for over 30 years, and running pilot cars for the last 10. Having zero accidents in over 500,000 miles of road is one thing, but more importantly, being a seasoned veteran brings with it a level of experience, knowledge, and competence that one will never find in the people looking to make easy money.

We believe this industry has a robust standard for organization and equipment stocking for its escorts, but sadly, we also feel that these standards are often not met, or insufficiently so. Skip's dissatisfaction with missing or outdated equipment in some of his previous employers' vehicles is what motivated him to be as thorough as possible when studying the guidelines for every place we currently operate. It is our view that an escort vehicle, if anything, should be stocked with more equipment than it needs for a given run, and as such, we always carry everything for every situation. Skip's designs for our vehicle interior allow us to store all of this neatly, efficiently, and in such a way that it can all be easily accessed as needed.

Above all, we want to deliver the best possible services to the load driver(s) that we can. When drivers and escorts are on the same page, have all the proper permits and relevant documents, have all the right equipment, and communicate effectively, things go smoothly, and everyone is happy.

Services

High Pole

Attach a pole to the pilot car, extended to the height of the load, to measure the clearance of overhead obstacles and ensure safe passage.

Lead

Drive in front of oversized loads to navigate and ensure road safety, and warn the transport of upcoming hazards.

Chase

Follow the oversized load to protect the rear, monitor traffic, and ensure the load remains secure and clear of obstructions.

Steer

Assist in steering oversized loads, especially in complex maneuvers or when load-balancing is critical, to ensure safe navigation through tight spots.

Route Survey

Conduct a pre-travel assessment of the route to identify potential obstacles, restrictions, and to plan for safe passage of oversized or heavy loads.