Snow & Ice: Three Ways to Cut Fleet Maintenance Costs written ...

Snow & Ice: Three Ways to Cut Fleet Maintenance Costs written ...: Three Ways to Cut Fleet Maintenance Costs written by John Ryynanen of Public Works Training. "Article in Fall Edition of "Cros...

Three Ways to Cut Fleet Maintenance Costs written by John Ryynanen of Public Works Training.

"Article in Fall Edition of "Crossroads"  Quarterly publication of County Road Association of Michigan

John Ryynanen  quoted from "Blue Collar Fleet Management" written by Mark A. Lester.

Excerpts below:

Tips from the experts:

The next maintenance step is thorough pre-trip and post-trip inspections ,and keeping up with preventative maintenance.  Truck & Trailer Specialties ' Mark Lester advises fleet managers to supplement the manufacturers recommended preventive maintenance schedule with their own, based upon observations and experiences.

"With heavy maintenance trucks, your PM program cannot be static.  You have to revisit it regularly and make adjustments based upon equipment breakdowns, problems, and other deficiencies that your operators and mechanics encounter during normal use and repair," he said.

During his 20-year tenure as fleet manager for MDOT's Southwest Region, :ester noticed through inspection and repair records the Class V trucks experienced battery failures after about three years in service.
To prevent batteries from failing or straining other charging system components, he adjusted the PM plan.  Instead of waiting for battery failure, mechanics replaced the batteries before the three-year service life cycle.
"With heavy maintenance trucks, it is much better-and less expensive- the be proactive than reactive," he said.

One Chassis, many jobs  (multi-functional trucks)

Mark Lester, product support specialist at Truck & Trailer Specialties, says multi-use trucks make the most sense when considering proactive versus reactive operational needs. "Plowing snow is reactive; spraying a bridge deck with brine to prevent ice from forming is proactive," Lester said.  "Hook loaders provide the biggest bang for the buck because when you're not using them for high-priority reactive work, you can easily swap equipment and perform any number of other operations."

Further information on these topics and more can be obtained from my book "Blue Collar Fleet Management" available for purchase at:   www.lulu.com.

Snow & Ice: Robins Book

Snow & Ice: Robins Book: All That Jazz By Mark Lester View this Author's Spotlight ...

Robins Book

All That Jazz

By Mark Lester

View this Author's Spotlight

Paperback, 54 Pages

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A story of love and the struggles encountered in developing and maintaining a relationship and keeping love from being extinguished.

Robin's Book

Snow & Ice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTSUT854hqcCity ...

Snow & Ice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTSUT854hqc

City ...: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTSUT854hqc City of Saginaw video of Swaploader equipped trucks.  The use of hookloaders on governmental...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTSUT854hqc

City of Saginaw video of Swaploader equipped trucks.  The use of hookloaders on governmental agency trucks is rapidly gaining steam, and why shouldn't it?  Great way to improve efficiency and truck usage, as explained in the video.  Oakland County Road Commission just order 12 units (the same model as in the video).  Time to "think outside the box".

Snow & Ice: Presentations and speaking engagements

Snow & Ice: Presentations and speaking engagements: A little self promotion here;  I have presented at several venues on the subject of fleet management practices and concepts.  Some of ...

Presentations and speaking engagements

A little self promotion here;  I have presented at several venues on the subject of fleet management practices and concepts. 

Some of these presentations were through my employer, some "free gratis", and some as a paid speaker.   I have never advertised; agencies and people have sought me out based upon recommendations of others and/or my book : Blue Collar Fleet Management" available from www.amazon.com or www.lulu.com.     I do not offer any magic potent or secret formulas but rather simple concepts and practices I have used successfully as a fleet manager at Michigan Department of Transportation.  My goal is to provide options and the advantages in  implementing practices resulting in a paradigm shift among employees and in the end will increase efficiencies and reduce employee stress levels.  As I transition into retirement mode I plan to increase my presentation business so one could view this post as my "coming out party"!

Presentation at APWA Fall Conference in Frankenmuth, MI where Robin and I presented

West Virginia LTAP Conference Presentation 2014

Increased efficiency in snow removal operations with minimal capital outlay for equipment upgrade

Increased efficiency  in removal of snow removal from trunkline. There are many ways to increase efficiency and raise productivity in winter maintenance operations.  I am sharing one of these ways below.  I have included an example which requires very minimal capital outlay for equipment upgrade.  All it requires is upgrading to a 12 ft moldboard on a Patrol wing.  This works very well on expressways and ramps.  

9 ft Junior wing

9 ft Junior wing in action

12 ft Patrol Wing

12 ft Patrol Wing in action

12 ft Patrol wing in action

Snow & Ice: Is Winter Maintenance Truck Refurbishment a Sound ...

Snow & Ice: Is Winter Maintenance Truck Refurbishment a Sound ...: Refurbishment of winter maintenance trucks as opposed to replacement with new models has become a “hot topic” the last few years.  I think...

Is Winter Maintenance Truck Refurbishment a Sound Fleet Management Practice?

Refurbishment of winter maintenance trucks as opposed to replacement with new models has become a “hot topic” the last few years.  I think initially, at least, there was a fear by fleet managers, and deservedly so, of the impact of the newer emission standards and engine designs on engine costs and reliability.  Refurbishing existing trucks allowed fleets to avoid the newer engine designs and potential problems, which is completely understandable.  However, with the implementation of “downstream” exhaust treatment to meet the more stringent emission standards reducing need for increased exhaust gas recirculation and other adjustments, engine performance and reliability has returned to the engines of the “good old days”.   Avoiding the newer engine designs due to fear of unreliability is no longer a justifiable decision.

I have been “accused” of having a negative opinion of winter maintenance truck refurbishment as an option when trucks are due for replacement and that is generally a fair accusation.  I think the term “refurbishment” used by fleet managers and vendors does not have a common definition.  What I notice is generally the trucks being refurbished have been allowed to deteriorate to almost a junk status.  In these instances, refurbishment becomes restoration. In this type of scenario then I am definitely in opposition. Agencies that are engaged in this type of activity generally lack any proactive preventative maintenance program which in my opinion is a very poor business practice and misuse of public funds. I prefer not to allow trucks to deteriorate to an unusable condition by adhering and practicing a sound preventative and predictive maintenance program throughout the life of the truck. 

This practice results in a couple of things:  a.) spreads out the maintenance costs over the life cycle of the truck eliminating a major expenditure in a solitary budget year, b.) reduces out of service time or at least spreads it out over the life cycle of the truck, and c.) extends the service life of the major components, i.e. engine & drive train.  If a refurbishment is forecast in the future of a well maintained winter maintenance truck the end result will be less work required resulting in less cash outlay and out of service time to bring the truck back to O.E.M. standards.  Or you have the option of selling the truck while it still has useable service life remaining and investing the proceeds of the sale in a new truck with the newest technology, driver comfort, and safety features.  If you follow this practice over time you will gain the reputation as a well maintained fleet and the trucks you sell will be in higher demand which will increase revenue from used truck sales. In my opinion, this is a far better approach.

I may be harsh, but I believe the agencies engaged in the total restoration (refurbishment by their definition) of older trucks are guilty of poor fleet management including preventative maintenance which they attempt to solve by having someone else perform all the tasks that these agencies neglected during the life of the truck.

A significant danger to refurbishment and reuse of older trucks is parts availability due to discontinuance of truck makes and models.  A good example:  while at MDOT we recycled two Ford L-8000 truck chassis from winter maintenance to herbicide application units.  Winter maintenance is a severe duty application while roadside herbicide application is light duty and can greatly extend the usable life of a truck chassis.  This worked well for us; these trucks were well maintained, they were dependable, and we saved the cost of a new truck chassis for a limited use seasonal type operation (although these were anti-ice/vegetation combination units).  However, once Ford Motor Company halted production of heavy duty trucks some of the replacement parts became scarce and very expensive. 

Cab body parts were one example but the best example I can provide is the dipstick tube for the Allison automatic transmission.  These dipstick tubes were specific to the truck make & model and so the demand for them dropped to almost zero.  We broke a dipstick tube while removing transmission pan and when we went to purchase a replacement we discovered:  a. they were almost as scarce as dinosaur teeth and b.) when we did locate  one our cost was $1,000.00 and the delivery time  was close to a month.  This is not a good situation to find yourself in and even worse if it is a winter maintenance truck during the winter season.

My advice to you;  do your homework and think this through. To learn more about sound proven fleet management practices I suggest you purchase my book:  "Blue Collar Fleet Management" available from the publisher www.lulu.com.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=blue+collar+fleet+management&type= 

Snow & Ice: Chuck Clark and Jim PagelsThese two guys were the...

Snow & Ice: Chuck Clark and Jim Pagels
These two guys were the...: Chuck Clark and Jim Pagels These two guys were the very first field mechanics out of the MDOT Southwest Region Central Repair Facility...

Chuck Clark and Jim Pagels

These two guys were the very first field mechanics out of the MDOT Southwest Region Central Repair Facility opened in 1996.  They set the bar for all that followed and they set it very high. Collectively they covered 10 maintenance garages over a 9 county area in Southwest Michigan. They took care of business and needed no supervision to do it.  Chuck once replaced a rear brake chamber on a truck broke down in an expressway turn around during a rain storm.  I told him to wait until it quit raining but he said "I have a rain coat".  Not many guys would do that anymore.  We did an upgrade to about 60 underbody scrapers and these two guys took care of the whole process.  Scheduling trucks, doing the work, etc.  They told me not to worry about it, they had it covered.  And they did.  These two guys were special and they were not only my employees but my friends.  I have a great deal of respect for them.  Sadly, they have both passed on albeit way too young.  I consider myself fortunate to have known them and worked with them.  I do miss them....

Snow & Ice: Restored Michigan Department of Transportation 194...

Snow & Ice: Restored Michigan Department of Transportation 194...: Indian in the Snow by Pat Miller;  MDOT retired The story of the sno-go, 040904, began in 1947 when the United States Government...

Restored Michigan Department of Transportation 1947 Osh Kosh Sno Go in action

Indian in the Snow

by Pat Miller;  MDOT retired

The story of the sno-go, 040904, began in 1947 when the United States Government established a contract with the Oshkosh Motor Truck Company. The contract (N160-2605) was made to provide twenty-eight heavy duty four wheel drive trucks with rotary sno-blower attachments to help aide in snow removal and daily maintenance of the roads. The Sno-go was assigned to the Army Corp of Engineers at the time to help aide in daily maintenance of the Alcan Highway in Alaska. In late 1959 or early 60 the Sno-go was sold to a used equipment dealer in Midway, Washington, which was then purchased by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) for $1,846.65. On February 11, 1960, the Sno-go, which arrived in the standard federal yellow color, along with two others arrived in Kalkaska, Michigan to update the state’s fleet of heavy snow-movers. Once the sno-go became property of MDOT, it was then painted highway orange the color it is today.

The sno-go now had a new roads and a new home in Kalkaska, it was now blowing the Northern part of District three, and these roads were from Elmira Hill on US131 between Antrim and Charlevoix County, US31 across from the Charlevoix airport and M72 east of Kalkaska. Major storms swept through Michigan in 1967 and in 1978 leaving the sno-go with new territory to plow. The sno-go was as far south as Lansing, Brighton and Niles, Michigan. During the 1967 storm, Max Campbell, was working near Kalamazoo when he was stopped by a sheriff deputy, the deputy asked Max to blow down a county road to help aid an ambulance with a heart attack victim. After Max received approval from the District Engineer, Max was able to plow the road saving the victims life.

The storm of 1978, the sno-go was gone for approximately five weeks, running twenty-four hours a day clearing and widening roads in the Southern part of the state. When the sno-go returned the 8’ cutter bar on the right side of the blower had the paint worn off right down to the metal indicating it had been working in snow drifts that exceeded eight feet tall. During that same storm while out blowing East of Honor, Michigan on US31, widening a section on the west bound shoulder the blower’s sheer pins gave way bringing the entire unit to a sudden stop. After some investigation the operator, Rocky Morrow, found an abandon compact car buried completely in the snow. Amazingly after hitting the car he quickly found that no damage was done to the sno-go and only minor damage to the abandoned car.

The winter of 1981 & 1982 was unusually brutal and the years of use began to show, so in the fall of 1982 the sno-go saw its next update. As the mechanic, Louie Hunt who was under the direction of Jerry Hodge, were preparing for winter, updates to the sno-go were performed, the rear engine was beginning to weaken and parts for the old Climax gas engine were becoming scarce and the amount of fuel it used was tremendous (100 gallons in 8 hours) so it was then decided to replace the old gas engine with a rebuilt diesel engine, this changeover was done in record time due to the winter season approaching.

After more than ten years of less than average snow fall, the sno-go rested comfortably in the MDOT storage barn in Kalkaska. In the spring of 2006, the sno-go was then called upon to perform a special project as a part of the celebration of MDOTs 100^th birthday. The sno-go was needed to escort the department director, Gloria Jeffs, in the National Cherry Festival’s, Heritage Parade which occurs the first weekend of July in Traverse City, the only problem was it looked as  though it had been setting for more than ten years. That May, Pat Miller began to restore the sno-go back to its original condition on his own time making sure it was spotless for its stroll in the parade. The sno-go was in need of a major facelift, painting began to restore the highway orange color, new stickers and graphics were placed on the freshly painted body and the engine was tuned up so it was running just like new. Since then it has been seen in many local events around the area, Pat Miller even received the directors award for his hard work restoring the sno-go.

The future of this grand old Indian is much in doubt, if sold at an auction it will no doubt be dismantled, having the rear engine removed to power a generator set or pump water. The axle and transfer case could be used to build a swamp buggy and/or monster truck. Not a very fitting end to a long and luxurious career that has saved a person’s life, kept roads clear and safe for drivers and has become such an icon for MDOT. This truck has played a major role in the transportation history of Michigan. My hope is that it can be put on display so that its rich history can be shared with everyone who has driven or drives Michigan roads…

Snow & Ice: TowPlow is Uni Mog?

Snow & Ice: TowPlow is Uni Mog?: The TowPlow Tow Plow                                       will be the Uni Mog Uni Mog with ice cutter                    ...

TowPlow is Uni Mog?

The TowPlow

Tow Plow

                                      will be the Uni Mog

Uni Mog with ice cutter

                                       Of the 21st century!

My old MDOT comrades will totally understand this....................

My newest book is now in print.  It is a little higher priced than I would have wished but it has loads of color pictures and color ink is expensive.  


http://www.lulu.com/shop/mark-lester/they-call-me-davy-crocket-san/paperback/product-22020415.html

Geeky picture but hey; you cannot lie to a camera

http://www.wwmt.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Kalamazoo-Co-Road-Commission-pre-treating-in-advance-of-anticipated-ice-71983.shtml#.VMofBGd0zIU


We built this tanker at Truck & trailer Specialties. It has been a challenge as the tanker does chloride applications for dust control in the summer at a rate of 1,500 to 2,000 gallons a lane mile and then does anti-ice application in the winter at a rate of 20 - 30 gallons a lane mile.  Obviously, this is a huge difference in application rates.

Great Lakes Chloride Tanker

Do your homework

There is a sucker born every minute”.  We have all heard the phrase which is generally credited to P.T. Barnum, one of the greatest showman in American history.  In reality, the quote was probably spoken by David Hannum as a criticism of P.T. Barnum and his customers.  Essentially this quote means “many people are gullible and we can expect this to continue.”

Okay, so what purpose does this quote serve in my Blog post?  Simple, as stated, many people are gullible yet to this day and even well-educated folks are not immune.  Sadly, failure to do one’s homework is often the force that creates the gullibility in the first place.  There are numerous examples I could list but my focus is on snow & ice control measures utilized on our nation’s roadways and thoroughfares.  Today’s target is one of my favorites:  TowPlow.  

If you are engaged in winter maintenance activities then you have heard of the latest craze, the TowPlow.  It was born and bred in Missouri by a Missouri DOT civil engineer to improve efficiencies by effectively replacing a truck and driver.  One truck equipped with a TowPlow and one driver can do the work of two trucks and two drivers.  And I believe that is a true statement.  So now you are confused, what is the problem then? 

Here is the deal, in my humble opinion; when the TowPlow was developed its only real competition was the wing plow, which is still true today.  Wing Plows were/are very popular and especially so in the Great Plains states.   These states utilize a front mounted reversible snowplow for snow removal and a front mounted wing plow that folds back against the cab.  The downside is the wing plow requires two hydraulic circuits to raise and lower (front and rear).  The wing plow must be raised and lowered in the proper sequence (front goes up first and down last) to avoid “snagging the pavement”.  Some agencies would have two employees in the cab; the driver and the “wing man” who operated the wing as the actuation required two control levers activated in proper sequence.  So, you still with me?  In this particular scenario, a TowPlow appears to be a step forward.  Right?

Michigan is an anomaly in the snow & ice removal world.  Michigan DOT, County Road Agencies, and Cities employ an underbody scraper for “plowing” the roads.  Front snow plows are primarily used for pushing back snow banks.  Rarely are they used on the pavement unless there is extraordinary amount of snowfall.  Root Spring & Scraper located in Kalamazoo, Michigan is certainly the driving force behind the popularity of the underbody scraper which is also used for gravel road maintenance in the summer so it is versatile. That is a different story for a different day.

Use of a mid-mounted underbody scraper is not compatible with a front mounted wing plow so wing plows were never popular in Michigan.  That all changed in the mid 1980’s with the development of the midmount wing plow and in 1999, development of the “sequencing valve” which allowed the wing to be controlled in the proper sequence by one lever.   Now the wing plow became a very attractive addition to the plow truck equipped with an underbody scraper and all at a very reasonable price.   Example; Most agencies employ at 12’ length underbody scraper which fully angled will remove a 9”6” swath of snow from the roadway.  Adding a 9’ midmount wing plow positioned at the proper angle will increase swath from 9’6” up to 14’.  What this means is:  a lane is 12’ wide.  A full shoulder is 8’ wide.  Utilizing an underbody scraper only would require three trips to fully clean a lane and the shoulder (combined 20’).  Addition of the 9’ wing would eliminate the need for one of those trips, resulting in an efficiency increase of 33.3%.  At a cost of:  $13,000.00 if wing plow is installed at time for truck buildup.  You don’t have to hold an M.B.A. to realize the potential cost savings.  Many agencies are now installing dual wings; one on the right and one on the left.  This allows them to remove snow from inside and outside shoulders on a divided highway with the same truck.  An additional benefit is they use both wings with the underbody scraper on freeway ramps (dual wings increase swath to about 20’) and can clean the entire ramp in one pass.  Thus they have increased efficiency when removing snow from ramps plus the snow plow truck has become more versatile for about another $13,000.00. Another option is use of 12’ wingplow moldboard which adds minimally to the purchase cost and increases the swath from 14’ to 16’-17’.  A 12’ moldboard will usually bolt right up to the mount utilized by the 9’ unit.

Now the TowPlow will cover a larger swath, about 20’, but comes with a cost of around $100,000.00.  To date there is only a right handed version.  You do get a salt hopper on the TowPlow for the $100,000.00; so in theory at least you could eliminate one truck. 

Okay, now the rest of the story:

·         Trucks that will be towing the TowPlow require special set-up in order to tow the plow.  And that is fine since wingplow equipped trucks require special set-up also.  But, unless you set up all your trucks to tow the TowPlow; when the Towplow truck breaks down or is wrecked you lose two trucks (remember the Towplow replaced a truck).

·         Towplow requires high displacement/high horsepower towing trucks.  So unless you change purchasing specifications on engine displacement and horsepower for your entire fleet you are restricted o designated TowPlow trucks (remember example of truck out of service).  What would be the cost of upgrading your truck engine package on your entire winter maintenance truck fleet?

·         If using the salt hopper feature on a TowPlow, you must increase hydraulic pump displacement or “somebody” in the hydraulic circuit will be starved for oil.  If you are using “open loop” type salt application systems your salt hopper motors could be starved for oil which reduces your salt application rate below the setting you programmed and you will never know it.  Well, at least the plow truck driver will never know it; the poor motorist than spins out on an icy road will certainly notice a problem.  Cylinder response times will be reduced or possibly the cylinder will not activate at all if the oil supply is reduced enough.  To be effective and efficient you must change your hydraulic specification to allow for larger pump/increased output.  A load sense piston pump with 100cc displacement is today the most common pump used and generally works.  However, if you add a TowPlow with a salt hopper you would be advised to increase hydraulic pump specification to 140cc.

·         Operation of two independent salt hoppers simultaneously requires two separate control systems or a system designed for this application.  To my knowledge there are only two companies which manufacture a controller that is designed to accurately control two independent salt hoppers.  I know agencies that are “fudging” and getting by.  They are sacrificing accuracy on application and in usage reporting which to me defeats the purpose of using automatic control systems. So what is the point?

·         Maintenance turn-arounds on divided highways; you do not utilize turnarounds on divided highways if you are using a TowPlow.  You are forced to drive to ramp to turn the unit around.  You will not be cleaning cloverleaf ramps with this unit.

  

Summary; 

There is a place in winter maintenance operations for TowPlows, but it is not every place.  TowPlows are not a panacea for all budget shortcomings and snow removal challenges.  Just consider upfront purchase costs alone:  $100,000.00 for one Towplow versus $13,000.00 for one midmount wing plow. One TowPlow purchase cost will buy 7.5 midmount wingplows.  Two Towplows cost about as much as one new plow truck which by the way can be used for other operations and year around.  A TowPlow is a designated use piece of equipment designed for one specific task.  These agencies that are blinding purchasing them without completing their homework are doing a huge disservice to their customers which ultimately are the taxpayers.  I believe that in far too many cases TowPlows are purchased to fix a problem that does not exist and results in creation of more and different problems.  Time will tell.  It always does………………..

Snow & Ice: Winter Cometh; Are you ready? This posting is fu...

Snow & Ice: Winter Cometh; Are you ready? This posting is fu...: Winter Cometh.....................Are you ready?  Better yet are the agencies we rely on to keep our roadways clear of snow & ice rea...

Snow & Ice: Winter Cometh; Are you ready? This posting is fu...

Snow & Ice: Winter Cometh; Are you ready? This posting is fu...: Winter Cometh.....................Are you ready?  Better yet are the agencies we rely on to keep our roadways clear of snow & ice rea...

Winter Cometh; Are you ready? This posting is full of historic photos and practical suggestions

Winter Cometh.....................Are you ready?  Better yet are the agencies we rely on to keep our roadways clear of snow & ice ready?

The good old days....in the beginning of my MDOT career I worked with guys who actually stood in the back of moving plow trucks and poured bagged salt on the roads.  They told me it freezing rain was miserable!  Imagine that.

Potholes are not a new event.  Neither is filling them.  Even the technology is reality the same.

 Here is a prime example of new old technology revisited using newer designs and improving snow removal operations.  Montcalm County Road Commission plowing US 131 in Michigan with two trucks; one  equipped with wing plow.  Truck on your left has right hand wing removing snow from shoulder and lane.  This tandem operation is clearing snow from swath of about 24 feet of roadway on each pass.

Mackinaw Bridge snow removal circa late 1950's or early 1960's with underbody scraper which is the Michigan snow removal preference. 

 Another "blast from the past" Michigan DOT picture.  Late 1930's or 1940's?

 Michigan DOT maintenance garage located in Moline, Michigan (just south of Grand Rapids on US 131).  I worked with guys who had worked out of this garage prior to it's closure which occurred when US 131 became a four lane U.S. highway and the garage was built in Plainwell. They told of unloading train car loads of salt in bags by hand.  The salt was then poured out of the back of a truck by hand (see prior photo and post).

 Sno-Cat with front plow and side mounted wing plow in Newberry, Michigan (upper peninsula) in early 1930's.  After a 60 hear hiatus, the wing plow returned in late 1990's. The Sno-Cat was a Caterpillar tracked dozer which was outfitted with cab for winter operations.

 This picture shows a 12 ft. wide front "mouse-eared" plow fully angled to to the right.  This plow in the position will remove snow from a 9'6" swath on every pass.  Keep in mind, one lane is 12' wide and a full shoulder is 8'.  

Addition of a 9' wing plow at this angle will increase the plowing swath to 14' (wing adds 5' 5").  Additional cost for wing plow is around $15,000.00 installed.  Adding this wing plow reduces to two  passes from what previously required thee passes for complete removal of snow from driving land and shoulder (20" total).  What MBA would not increase productivity and efficiency by 33%  by spending an additional $15,000.00 on a $250,000.00 dollar truck?  Wing plows were added to the Michigan DOT fleet due to vision and action by employees at the "grassroots" level (including myself), not by upper management or the director.  Although, the upper management and director at the time of implementation are to be commended for trusting in their employees to make the right decision and do the right thing.  Bureaucracies have a tendency to stifle creativity among it's employees.  

 The early beginning of snow plowing technology.

 The book I authored in which I share my experience as a Michigan at Michigan DOT in hopes of preventing others from reliving my mistakes and for them to be successful in their endeavors. I travel to many agencies at many locations where I see and hear from employees the issues they are struggling with; almost all which are covered in my book.  It doesn't have to be a struggle.  Couple of challenges:  get off the reactive "merry-go-round" where you are stressed from putting out fires; learn to become proactive.  And quit allowing fleet and operations divisions from being at "loggerheads", it isn't an ego contest folks.  Fleet provides the tools to operations they needed to provide services to the taxpayers (customers). Put the customers first; not the egos of your staff.  This book provides the information you need to make this happen.  Purchase a copy from Amazon or lulu.com.  Or contact me.

In this picture is a 1966 Michigan DOT plow truck. It is an International truck equipped with an in-line 6 cylinder gas engine.  477 or 501 cubic inch, I cannot remember which.  Here is wishing you all a safe and happy winter!

West Virginia LTAP Snow & Ice Conference and Pre/Post Trip Inspections

On October 24th., I participated in Snow & Ice Conference held in Summersville, West Virginia hosted by West Virginia LTAP.  I spoke on two different subjects:  "Reactive versus Proactive" plus  "One Truck for All Seasons & All Reasons".  Plus I was last minute stand-in for a pre/post trip inspection demonstration.   Pre/post trip inspection process is a vital component of proactive fleet/equipment management so this was a suitable follow-up to my reactive versus proactive presentation.  I was not particularly concerned with reviewing every individual inspection item on a truck but more concerned with the most efficient and effective process for completing a pre/post trip inspection.  While I was at MDOT, our Kalamazoo Maintenance Equipment Evaluation team developed a guide which evolved into wall charts for pre/post trip inspections.  The team identified and labelled the inspection points, but more importantly laid out a "road map" which guided the driver in a logical precise manner ensuring a thorough inspection. A sample of the wall chart is shown above.  One point I emphasise is the actual inspection begins as you approach the truck; this is the opportune time to notice any oil spots underneath indicating a leak, any leaning indicating a spring or air bag issue, loose hanging wires & hoses, low tires, broken mirrors & lights, etc.  Once you reach the truck, the inspection begins in the cab, to engine compartment, to driver's side wheel area and circling around the truck in a counter-clockwise rotation and culminating at the passenger's side wheel area.  The chart in the photo details this process by numbering each inspection point. At first glance this might seem overwhelming, but once the habit is instilled it can be complete in about 10 minutes. MDOT, at one time, hosted snow plow roadeo's for their driver's which included in the competition a 10 minute test of truck driver pre/post trip skills whereby the driver's were required to locate defects which the judge had planted on the truck.  I was he judge for this competition for several years.  What I discovered was the competitors that used the format I just described would locate the defects almost 100% and complete the full inspection well within the 10 minute time limit. Frankly, this process is basically the same as process laid put in the CDL license study guide.  In the shop we used the same pattern & process for performing preventative maintenance inspections on trucks. This process has proven itself to be the most efficient and the most effective.  Trust me, I have been chastised by supervisors and driver's about their "need to get on their road right away and they could not devote time to a thorough inspection".  My response has always been "and how much time can you devote to repairing a broken down truck on the road"? Worse yet, an unsafe truck involved in an accident?  

All organisations have processes,some informal which just developed through habit and some formal which were developed by time studies and management.  These processes should ensure efficiency, productivity, continuity (especially as people change) to enhance results.  Results defined as better response and success in filling the needs of your customers.  Of course, processes should be evaluated and adjusted as needed so as not to become a barrier to delivery of your product or service. What I have noticed in government, far too many times the culture is process driven, not results driven.  This is backwards.  In my almost 30 year career at MDOT, I worked under one results driven Chief Operations  Officer.  Ultimately, he was driven out by a "process driven" department director.  I am not going to devote a lot of time to this, except to say;  if your pre/post trip inspections are "process driven" rather than "results driven", you are wasting your time.  

Example of process driven: A passer-by observed two workers;  one was digging a hole and the other was following behind filling in the hole.  The passer-by stopped and asked what they were doing. Their response;  they were a tree planting crew. The guy that plants the trees was off sick and being dedicated employees they felt compelled to do their jobs anyway.  Process remained mostly intact but the results were zero.

Have a fun Halloween!!!

Road Salt....less for more

http://news.yahoo.com/road-salt-supply-low-demand-high-winter-looms-161305822.html?soc_src=mediacontentsharebuttons

Guess last winter still has us in it's grip...............assuming there is road salt available..........you will pay up to double what it costs last year.  Might be a good winter for some "global warming".  Or relocation to a warmer climate.  

I have spent over a year developing an interactive self-guided diagnostic process for use by technicians when diagnosing and repairing hydraulic and/or electrical issues particularly as relates to ground speed oriented salt distribution systems used by entities responsible for keeping our roadways clear of snow & ice.  Hopefully, this process will reduce stress on technician by providing a logical and easy to follow diagnostic process allowing return of the snow & ice truck back into service quickly.  This diagnostic guide can be accessed at the link listed below.  There are no password or log-in requirements. You are welcome to review and evaluate the guide at your convenience.  You must use the arrow button on each screen for navigation as the guide utilizes many hyperlinks.  

http://www.ttspec.com/Education-and-Training

Jax Snowplow Grease used by many northern agencies

Truck & Trailer Specialties, Boyne Falls store, has several customers that use Jax Snowplow grease for lubricating Husting hitches.  The active lubricating ingredients in this product are:  molybdenum disulfide and graphite which are both excellent for lubricating  metal against metal sliding surfaces which is exactly the application when one is using a plow on a husting plow hitch.  Moly is more robust than graphite and tends to hang around longer.  This product is available in aerosol  can and many customers carry a can along with them on their snow plow routes and reapply occasionally.  It is also great for lubricating blade circles on both plow truck and graders, plus blade side shifts on graders, any other place where there are metal to metal sliding surfaces.

 If interested; contact Lucky Baker at Truck & Trailer Specialties 888-603-5506.

History of the Folding Moldboard Under-body Scraper & the Michigan Connection

There are two basic under-body scraper designs:  Mop (trailing edge style) and folding moldboard (the old Root I-66 Interstate scraper).  By far the Mop style is most common and most versatile.  If an agency grades gravel roads with a truck mounted under-body scraper then the Mop style is by far the preferred method.  It has a rugged 1" thick solid moldboard and few moving parts.  With that being the case one must wonder why would you purchase any other design?  I would speculate Leo Tift had the very same thought going through his mind when he designed/invented the folding moldboard scraper (jack-knife or vertical under-body scraper) while working as equipment foreman in the Michigan Department of Transportation Hastings Maintenance Garage back in the 1970's.  

Plaque from roadside park on M-86 dedicated to Leo Tift

The disadvantage of a Mop style blade is it's design.  The one-piece moldboard is hinged at the top which causes the scraper to lower in an arc (think of a compass used for drawing circles) resulting in a variable attack angle (the angle between road surface and cutting edge).  Due to  the attack angle varying two factors result:  the cutting edge wears prematurely and the optimum attack angle for snow & ice removal is never achieved or only achieved for a short interval.  What Leo Tift accomplished was to imitate a front plow and fabricate a moldboard with a center hinge that folds when raising resulting in a scraper that maintains a constant attack angle.  With this design one can install a straight cutting edge with tungsten insert and, with a conservative driver,  can operate all winter season without a cutting edge change while still achieving optimum results.  The concept does work and works very well.  Trucks are removed from service much more infrequently for cutting edge changes allowing them to remain on their plow routes.  The optimum attack angle results in efficient and effective removal of snow & ice lowering the amount of chemical de-icers needed.  There are a few caveats:  1.)  optimum attack angle for snow & ice removal is a detriment to road grading/too aggressive and 2.) never use a curved cutting edge on a vertical style blade as to do so creates a very aggressive and dangerous attack angle which can result in snow plow truck roll-over.

Folding Moldboard Underbody Scraper

The Leo Tift designed folding moldboard under-body scraper was originally manufactured and sold by Root Spring & Scraper in Kalamazoo under the name of the LT-1 scraper.  It is now available from Root, Monroe Snow & Ice in Monroe, Wisconsin as well as others.

So there you have it;  a bit of snow & ice equipment history and the role of a Michigan citizen and MDOT employee in the development.  KUDOS to Leo Tift.

Video from City of Livonia Depicting Green and Amber Strobe Lighting in Snow Removal Operations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoorlVK5_N0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0RxNV1nVlE 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N52DGqkUE34

DID YOU KNOW?

•Quick couplers are directional;  most quick couplers have an arrow denoting flow direction.  Generally the quick couplers should be installed so male (nose) section flows into female (body) section.

•Running oil the wrong way through quick coupler can cause excessive pressure drop.

Green Strobe Technology for Winter Snow Removal Operations

In a prior post I commented on use of green LED strobe lighting pilot being conducted by Ohio Department of Transportation on their snow plow trucks.  Ohio DOT was impressed and now use green strobes as standard component of their lighting package on their snow plow trucks.  The Ohio state legislature passed legislation which the governor signed approving and dedicating green lighting to snow plow trucks.  The use of green LED strobe lighting is being evaluated by some Michigan agencies.  The city of Livonia and Oceana County Road Commission are two which have them in use right now.  The City of Wixom has just taken delivery of trucks with green warning lighting.  The feedback I have received has been totally positive.  Livonia Fleet Manager has received positive feedback from drivers citing increased visibility especially in blowing snow. Oceana CRC Fleet Manager stated the green lights are visible even when they are covered by snow.  The green light cuts through snow clouds and fog much better than amber. As stated previously; the lasers used for wing plow operations are green due to their ability to be seen through snow clouds, blizzards, fog etc.  This is proving to be the case for green safety lighting.  Oceana CRC fleetmanager did share a  Michigan State Police officer told them the green lights are not "legal" but that he thought they are far superior to amber for visibility.  As for legality, I am not a lawyer, but I do know the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code does not address green lighting at all.  So what does that mean?  They are not legal because they are not approved?  They are not illegal because they are not banned?  The Officer did tell Oceana CRC he would not ticket them for use of the lights.  As a result there is a movement among some CRAM (County Road Commission Association) to get legislation passed in Michigan similar to Ohio.

Funny story;  a lady motorist told the Oceana CRC fleetmanager that she liked the Christmas lighting on their plow trucks and hoped they would install it on all of them!

MDOT BOUNCE & SCATTER TEST

The Bridge Volume 27, No. 3 is available now.

http://michiganltap.org/sites/ltap/files/publications/bridge/Bridge_27-3_WEB.pdf

In this issue:

·  Refurbished and Multi-Use Trucks Reduce Fleet Costs

·  Update From the MDOT Load Rating Unit

·  Element Level Bridge Inspection Workshop

·  Minimizing Salt Bounce and Scatter

OOPS

INDOT snow plow truck overturned on State Road 45 in eastern Greene County early this morning.(Photo courtesy of the Greene County Sheriff's Department)

An Indiana Department of Transportation snow plow truck overturned early this morning in eastern Greene County while clearing icy roadways.

An INDOT owned 2003 Ford Sterling truck with a snow plow and driven by Rickey Laughlin, 58, of Odon, was traveling north on State Road 45 when it overturned near the intersection with Dotson Road about 12:19 a.m., according to a report from Greene County Sheriff's Department Deputy Jeff Brown.

Laughlin was trapped inside the truck from the seatbelt, but had no injuries.

"The truck did loose its load of salt from the rollover, Deputy Brown commented. "There was approximately 2 inches of snow at the time of accident,"

Assisting at the scene was personnel from the Greene County Ambulance Services and Center Township Fire Department.

Montana DOT Mowing Tractor Set-up

Roadside Mowing tractor in Montana

Probably everyone reading this post is going to think how "dumb I am", but I saw this Montana DOT mowing tractor with sidemount mower and toolbox mounted on three point hitch.  I am thinking what a great idea; the toolbox I mean.  If the three point hitch is available, why not mount a contractors box.  No matter how many tools you have on a mowing tractor, seems there is never enough; especially when you are miles from the shop.  You could carry extra blades, blade bolts, grease gun, sockets, end wrenches, etc.  Better put a good lock on it though or someone else may have your tools.  "Food for thought".

Montana Trip & Kudos to Upturn Solutions

Trip to Montana July 2013

Traveled to Montana to work with our new Software provider; Upturn Solutions in Kalispell.  While there the software folks took us on park tour of Glacier National Park.  I would heartily recommend a visit to this part of the country to everyone.  Words and pictures do not do it justice.

Thanks to Paulsen Palmer and Jaron West from Upturn Solutions for the tour and their hospitality.   I would also endorse Upturn Solutions for your asset management software provider.  Their Sprocket software is very flexible and they are excellent to partner with.  Never once did I hear the phrase "we cannot do that".  Great bunch of folks and very creative.  

http://upturnsolutions.com/

Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park

Snow in the Park July 17

Glacier National Park

Original Park Tour Bus;  1934 White Body.  

Original Body set on 2002 Ford Truck Chassis with gas V-8 engine running on propane

See the Mountain Goats?

Couldn't resist

View from road

View from road