Trailers and unit banks for a crew base on a location shoot, placed under the same street space rules as any other occupancy of the public right of way.
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A film or production crew base usually needs a trailer or a bank of portable units placed close to the set. Where that unit sits on the public right of way, the city's street space rules apply just as they do to construction. A local provider delivers, services and removes the units.
Location shoots move a lot in San Francisco. A production may work on the Embarcadero one week and in a hill block the next, and each location has its own access, parking and curb. The crew base, where the trailers and catering sit, is the part of the shoot that most often lands on the public right of way, because there is rarely room for it on private land.
The restroom plan is built around the crew base and the set. A trailer suits a long day with a larger crew, while a bank of standard units can serve a smaller shoot. An accessible unit belongs in any cluster, and a handwash station is often wanted near the catering. The unit must be reachable without crossing the working area.
This page covers placement, the street space rules, the count and what moves the price. It gives no price and no crew-to-unit ratio. The production coordinator confirms the count with the provider, and the provider confirms the price before delivery.
It does if any trailer, unit or equipment stands on the public right of way. The street space permit lists portable toilets among its covered uses, and the contractor or property owner pulls it.
A shoot that keeps everything on a private lot does not need the permit for that part of its base. Once a trailer or unit reaches the curb or parking lane, the production needs to plan for the permit and its lead time.
The price follows the number of units, the length of the booking, the number of service visits, the placement and whether a trailer is needed. Access to the set is often the biggest factor.
A unit carried from the nearest parking spot through a gate or a service alley takes more labor. The street space permit and any traffic permit are separate costs with their own lead times. The provider confirms the price before delivery.
The production sets the count with the provider, based on the size of the crew and the length of the day. The provider confirms the count in writing before delivery.
The count should be set for the peak, because the crew base and the set can have different numbers of people at different times. The production should also ask whether the California construction rule applies to its crew base.
Only where the tow route and a level pad allow it. Many hill blocks cannot take a trailer, and the crew base moves to a flat lot or wider curb.
A trailer on a steep block is not safe for the people inside it, and the pad is often not available. When a trailer is not possible, a bank of standard and accessible units is often the practical answer.
The provider holds the registrations and permits for hauling and disposal, and waste goes out through its permitted route. The production does not dispose of any waste itself.
San Francisco handles portable chemical toilet waste under the SFPUC trucked waste hauler permit, and the provider is responsible for it. The production should confirm the provider's route in the quote.
Keep trailers and units clear of the set, the cable runs and the generator. Do not let anyone climb on a trailer or use a unit as a step, and keep the tow hitch clear while the crew sets up. Never place a unit on a slope or soft ground without the provider approving the spot.
A technician walks the location with the production coordinator and marks the set, the crew base, the catering and the point the restroom must be reached from. The restroom stays out of the working area, and the walk-through sets the distance and route before anything is ordered.
If any trailer, unit or equipment stands on the public right of way, a street space permit is needed. Public Works lists portable toilets, contractor offices and equipment among its covered uses. The contractor or property owner pulls the permit, and the production should ask the city which applies before the shoot is booked.
The count follows the size of the crew and the length of the day, and the production confirms it with the provider in writing. California requires five percent, but no fewer than one, of the units in a cluster to comply with the accessible standard. A crew base cluster should include at least one accessible unit with a route clear of the trucks and cables.
The crew places each unit on level ground, secures it against wind and checks the doors against the working area. A trailer is checked for its level pad, tow connection and water and waste hookups. On a multi-day shoot the provider services the units on an agreed schedule, and a long shoot may need more than one visit a week.
When the shoot wraps, the provider removes the units and trailers and hauls the waste through its own permitted route. The permit's conditions still apply until the units are gone, so nothing is left on the curb past the permit term. The provider holds the registrations and permits for hauling and disposal.
A small shoot can often work with a bank of standard units placed close to the set, on level ground or the parking lane. The count should match the crew size and the length of the day. Keep at least one accessible unit in the bank, with a route clear of trucks and cables.
A flushing trailer suits a larger crew on a long day. It needs a tow route, a level pad large enough for it and a water and waste connection the provider can service. It usually sits on a lot or a wide curb rather than a narrow block, so the access decides whether it fits.
Some shoots need a lane or street closed, and a construction closure uses a Special Traffic Permit rather than a special-event permit. The unit placement then becomes part of the closure plan, and the provider places units only inside the approved area.
Call any hour and explain what is going on. You get a clear price before any work starts.
San Francisco's production work runs across very different ground. A wide downtown street has room for a trailer and a clear curb, while a hill block may have only a narrow sidewalk and one level stretch. The crew base is planned around that difference rather than a standard layout.
Open waterfront and coastal sites are exposed to wind and fog coming off the ocean, and salt air weathers equipment faster than inland work. A unit on those sites needs weight, a firm base and a plan for the weather.
Shoots are often set near the same streets as the city's public events. When a shoot and an event share a block, the traffic and the right of way have to be planned together, and the provider places its units around both.
Portable toilets on San Francisco streets and sidewalks, with the permit limits and placard rules that apply.
A towed trailer with a closed room for guests, placed on a level pad that a tow route can reach.
Job-site toilets sized to California's Title 8 Section 1526, with portable units where water closets are not feasible.
Portable toilets kept on site for months of work, with service schedules and permit terms set to match.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
A production that brings a crew to a location usually needs toilets close to the set and the crew base. The count follows the size of the crew and the length of the day. The provider confirms the count in writing, and the price before delivery.
The contractor or the property owner pulls the permit, depending on how the production is set up. It covers portable toilets and equipment on the public right of way. Ask the city which permit applies before the shoot is booked.
California requires five percent of the units in a cluster to comply, but no fewer than one. A crew base cluster should include at least one accessible unit. Its route has to be clear of trucks and cables.
Only if the tow route and a level pad are available. Many hill blocks cannot take a trailer, so the crew base moves to a flat lot or a wider curb. The walk-through decides which option works.
It can. A construction street closure uses a Special Traffic Permit, and the production should ask the city which traffic permit covers its closure. The unit placement is then part of that plan.
The provider removes the units and trailers at wrap and hauls the waste through its own permitted route. The street space permit's conditions apply until the units are gone. The provider holds the registrations and permits for hauling and disposal.