Plain Speaking About Fleet Snow Removal
Our trucking pundit offers a round up of variables for fleet operators.
by Dana Smith
When you think of snow removal you probably think of snow plows on our highways, or maybe just clearing snow out of your driveway. Living in Canada, we know all too well how much work that can be. Picture a yard full of transport trucks and trailers after a snow storm, all sitting there with many feet of snow on them. The yard having a ton of snow around every piece of equipment and all the buildings. How does one go about cleaning all that up? For large fleets it can be a daunting task. Especially if there are a few storms in a row and/or if they have acres of yards to clean up in multiple locations.
Most trucking companies plan for this either by doing it themselves or contracting the task out to someone else. It goes pretty quickly if you are a small fleet, but if you’re a large one, it could take a few days to clean up. For those who do it themselves, most have a crew/system with which they can clean up the snow in the same manner every time as quickly as they can. They also have budgets for this as well. For those who contract it out, it snows and the contractor shows up at any time to remove the snow as quickly as possible. This may involve crews working 24/7 to get the job done.
With that being said, while crews are doing their snow clearing, the companies still have to service their customers. Trucks rolling in and out of the yards, trailers being shunted in and out of the dock doors, while the plows are trying to remove the snow. This can become a safety issue quickly. Someone must coordinate everything so that it gets done, and no one gets hurt. Trucks and trailers need to be pulled out of their parking spots by shunters, plowed out and put back within minutes. If one has a yard with 300-400 trailers in it, well, you can see how much work that is every time it snows.
When thinking of snow removal for your fleet, some things to consider are supervision and coordination of your operation. Optimization of your equipment and personnel, and also processes for effectively getting the job done in an efficient manner. Some of these things would be removal of the snow and ice from the throughways, and parking lots at your terminals. Then there are walkways, and salt/sand distribution for your personnel safety. Garage and dock bays as well.
Let’s look at the main areas of getting this job done:
Supervison and coordination is the glue that holds it all together. I mean without this, there can be mass chaos, and things being very inefficient. Managers need to be effective with the right communication to all involved, to make things run smoothly and ensure that no one gets hurt.
Fleet planning can be overwhelming, depending on how much equipment you have to work with. To combat this, you need a plan. Having a plan makes things run smoother. That way everyone involved knows what they are responsible for, and how to do it.
Equipment allocation helps with an efficient operation. How many vehicles and personnel do you need to run the plows and shunt trucks? How many do you need for salting and sanding, or shovelling walkways? You may need small snow blowers and salt spreaders as well to help with the cleanup. These all require people to run them. Do you have enough staff to help with the job? All things to consider within your plan.
Equipment readiness is crucial. We all know that things always break when you need them to go. Murphy’s law. Is all your equipment ready for the job? Has it been serviced, and all parts are in good working order and ready? Good things to check beforehand. Do you have an abundant supply of fuel, salt, and sand ready to go? Do you have someone on call for emergency repairs for equipment breakdowns while in operation?
Personnel training and safety is a huge part of snow removal. Without them, the job won’t get done. Do you have enough people to run everything? Do you have extra personnel in case someone can’t come in? Are the people doing the job properly trained on all equipment operations? Do they understand safety protocols, in case something goes wrong? Safety policies and procedures formed ahead of time can save lives.
Weather forecasting is helpful as you would like to know roughly how much snow you have to deal with. Keep an eye on weather forecasts that will help with this.
Data analysis can really help you the next time there’s a snow storm. Using information and data metrics can help with equipment and personnel allocation in different areas where needed. Maybe you need another plow in a different area instead of where it was, to better serve the purpose. Also, asking your people what could be done better always helps for the next time, as they know best. Because they are on the front lines. Be open to feedback from your people. It will help you to build an awesome team.
One of the big things now in trucking that the DOT watches for when it snows, is snow and ice build up on the trailer roof. There are now machines companies can get to clear the snow and ice off the trailer roof. They are made like a scraper blade that when you lower it down on top of the trailer and drive through, can take the snow off in seconds.
It can be very costly if you are caught with snow or ice on your roof on the highway. Not only in fines and trailer roof damage, but the possible loss of human life from a piece of ice flying off your trailer and hitting another vehicle. Just six inches of snow on a 53’ trailer can weigh as much as 5,000lbs. Wet snow can be twice the weight: upwards of 10,000lbs.
Being prepared and having a plan is key with your fleet snow removal, whether it be a small or large scale operation.
