Snowplow GPS tracking tools are excellent investments this time of year. Snowplow tracking helps fleet managers efficiently manage winter maintenance fleets.
Why Invest in a GPS Snowplow Fleet Tracking System?
When the seasons change, so do our fleet managers’ priorities. No longer are we thinking so much about marina sports equipment, but rather keeping thoroughfares free of falling leaves or snow. While we know snow can be hazardous, clearing leaves is also essential as the fall gets full swing. Motorists need to be aware of all potential hazards as seasons change.
We suggest equipping your municipal fleet assets, including street sweepers and trash collection vehicles, with GPS tracking devices. Still, right now, we want to focus specifically on snow plow tracking.
That’s because The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts that snow will be a severe problem this year and early next year, at least for the Eastern half of the United States. The other half of the country will deal with a milder winter, which can mean rain and lots of fallen, rotting leaves. The point is that municipalities will need to plan to clear debris or snow no matter where they are.
How Does the Snowplow Tracking System Work?
There are several snowplow tracking systems on the market. They help municipalities and private companies locate their vehicles in real time. They also assist fleet managers in accessing snowplow blade positioning and whether the vehicles are successfully dispensing salt, vehicle speed, and the routes covered.
The best software also allows supervisors to see the location of every vehicle and access recorded data of the streets the vehicles have cleared. Managers can use salt distribution and blade positioning data to signal when a vehicle may require routine or emergency maintenance.
Installing Snowplow Tracking Devices
Snowplow tracking device installation is easy when you work with experts. The installation of the devices is much the same as with your marina assets or land fleet vehicle GPS trackers.
However, given that the data points this technology collects are so specialized, you’ll need to update your fleet management software to reflect that. You will need to consider whether your GPS tracker includes cameras. Cameras can be added to see how snow and debris are being cleared and if there are any problems.
Rastrac’s snowplow GPS tracking solutions are optimized so municipalities and private operators can focus on essential things like the safety of their citizens and kids playing in the snow! Our systems include weather alerts to inform drivers of hazardous road conditions, sudden storms, or sudden road closures.
Why Should I Use a GPS System?
Using a GPS system for any fleet is standard best practice. There are many reasons to invest in GPS tracking, but let’s look at a few in depth.
Increase Productivity (and Serve More Destinations)
Especially when it comes to plowing snow, speed and efficiency are critical to ensure people can get to work or school, and normal operations can run sufficiently. Everyone loves a day off from snow, but for emergency response teams, hospital workers, or maintenance teams, a day off from snow can mean the difference between life and death. Essential personnel must get to their workplaces rain, shine, or snow.
With GPS tracking software installed on your plowing vehicles, you can strategically plan how and when to reach every transportation point within your geographic area. You can use vehicle data points to reroute more support to critical areas in emergencies or unforeseen conditions. You will maximize your overall efficiency and keep neighborhoods safe and up and running.
Protect Your Equipment
Receive alerts and analyze data to understand when equipment needs maintenance. The sooner you know a blade isn’t working efficiently, the sooner you can fix it and ensure your fleet works the best it can. The software ensures fleet managers maintain real-time records of fleet vehicle repairs and routine servicing to ensure snowplows are kept in optimal condition and comply with municipal regulations.
Update Your Customers
Provide citizens with transparency. Monitoring which snowplows are where and when can help municipalities, and private service providers ensure they can account for the timely removal of snow and road debris. The more data they can make available to the public, the better. GPS tracking systems will collect the relevant data so that snowplow operators can share updates and help citizens know where and when roads will be safe to drive on.
Snow Plow Tracker Case Studies
Let’s look at some examples of snowplow GPS trackers making fleet managers the heroes!
Virginia Department of Transport
In 2019, the Virginia Department of Transport (VDOT) equipped its snowplows with tracking devices throughout the state. The trackers allow VDOT officials and state residents to observe the plow’s progress along its route. The state website is updated automatically in real-time, so citizens can search for their addresses and see when a plow will clear their street. The initiative started after a pilot program in counties in Northern Virginia saw massive success, and VDOT decided to expand it to the entire state. The system serves citizens and allows the agency to deploy snowplows based on traffic reports and congestion on major urban thoroughfares or interstate routes.
City of Ann Arbor
Another example of snowplow tracking success is the system implemented in the City of Ann Arbor. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, anyone with a computer, tablet, or smartphone can access an online map that shows how the snowplows are working throughout the area. The system is always available to the public. It even provides them with information regarding whether a plow is clearing snow, salting, or spreading sand, which helps drivers know how to avoid recently salted or sanded areas. The system enables the city to maximize its responses to ice and snow and, in turn, minimizes street and vehicle maintenance costs.
No matter where you are operating and what kind of winter you have on the horizon, Rastrac's StreetComplete is an excellent complement for any street maintenance operation. The solution optimizes routes to enable municipalities and private service providers to save resources and streamline fleet operations.
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