Municipalities of all sizes face challenges in managing snow operations. Operational efficiency for snowplow fleets is a priority for keeping roads safe and accessible, helping drivers under all weather conditions, and saving taxpayer dollars.

"Each winter season, municipalities around the world commit significant time and resources to the safe and efficient removal of snow. It is an absolute priority with implications for emergency services, city operations, resident satisfaction and more," says Tyler Molinaro, VP at Routeware, whose fleet management solution aims to help municipalities better manage snow removal operations. 

While most local governments provide snow removal services for their residents, large snowstorms are unique and unpredictable emergency situations that require flexible operations.

The cornerstone of effective snow and ice control is prioritizing safety for emergency vehicles and travel to continue as needed for business. City managers must make smart investments in snow and ice control equipment and technology to ensure resident safety and to get businesses back up and running as quickly as possible after a major snow event—or to keep them running through its duration. 

Planning for the Unknown Demands Flexibility

How do you plan for unpredictable weather events? 

Because winter weather demands flexibility, cities tailor action plans to possible emergency scenarios. A common way to manage snow removal is to prioritize your routes by each street segment. Emergency routes around hospitals are critical priorities, followed by business corridors and, finally, residential streets. Snow removal teams cycle through their routes, but the higher priority routes may take precedence if the snow is heavy and removal crews can’t get to the residential streets. Digitized routing plans and regular route optimization exercises are essential to enabling this approach.

Since snow storms can be less common in some cities, snow removal labor forces don’t always receive the same day-to-day practice as solid waste crews. Thanks to digital fleet solutions, cities can now leverage city data before a storm arrives to ensure they are as prepared as possible and to train and brief drivers more quickly.

During the off-season, snow teams can prepare for the winter by running mock events to ensure equipment is working and acclimating staff to their routes.

When developing winter weather operations, consider these factors that differentiate snow and ice management from regular waste removal:

• Flexibility is key: Snow events can be highly unpredictable, putting pressure on teams to change routes, work overtime and manage an influx of service request calls.
• One pass isn’t enough: Unlike other municipal fleets, plows must pass roads multiple times before they are considered clear.
• Unseen obstacles abound: Metal plates, speed bumps and other hazards lurk below the snow, potentially damaging plows or causing accidents.
• Requests are time-sensitive: Clearing roads of snow and ice is a critical service and essential to emergency management. 

How To Optimize Snow Removal Operations with Technology

RUBICONSmartCity is a proprietary, cloud-based technology suite that helps governments run faster, smarter and more effective snow removal, solid waste and other heavy-duty municipal fleet operations. Within this SaaS solution is a product feature that optimizes municipal winter management and drives innovation in government snow removal operations. Moreover, since its integration into Routeware, the RUBICONSmartCity solution has expanded to include new community outreach and education tools that can complement snow operations. 

Using RUBICONSmartCity’s intuitive Driver App and Manager Portal, cities can set street priority, view the location of all snow removal vehicles at once, provide digital turn-by-turn directions to drivers and track route progress, number of passes and completion. Routware’s municipal team also offers a professional services team to optimize entire snow operations and their routes. This helps ensure city streets are plowed efficiently and effectively during storms.

Cities can use technology to provide drivers with turn-by-turn directions, map where snow plows have been, communicate plowing schedules with residents, and gather and analyze historical data. Communication is key, as technology and data can be used to serve residents better and keep them informed about operations and the overall safety level of roadways in real time. 

The following features show how technology can improve snow removal operations:

• Digital systems empower office staff and drivers to work more efficiently and with more agility, even if operations need to be managed remotely during an emergency.
• Turn-by-turn directions and alerts reduce drivers' training time, help drivers return to their routes after salt pick-up or refueling, and minimize stressful driving.
• Route management allows managers to create and adjust routes for different storm events.
• Two-way messaging between operators and the back office improves communication.
• Camera feeds provide actionable insights on road conditions back to streets or public works teams, while photos support drivers in resident disputes.
• Map visualizations help drivers pick up where others left off, improving shift changes and efficiency.

Project Spotlight: Kansas City, Mo.

The City of Kansas City, in Missouri, is benefitting from its work with RUBICONSmartCity. The company’s fleet technology enables Kansas City’s 300 snow vehicles to operate efficiently during major snow events. Every snowplow operator in the City uses a tablet equipped with RUBICONSmartCity’s software, which guides them on their entire route, confirms priority streets and alerts them to potential obstacles. 

By making snowplow operators more aware of areas that have and haven’t been plowed, Kansas City has seen mileage decrease by 3% (via route overlap reduction) and idle times decrease by 12% (via stationary time reduction) year over year. In 2023, the American Public Works Association honored Kansas City’s approach with its prestigious Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award. 

“In Kansas City we are constantly striving to improve public services—and with them, quality of life for our residents,” said Michael Shaw, Director of Public Works for the City. “Efficient snow removal positively impacts public safety and keeps our great city moving in the winter months.”

The RUBICONSmartCity team is proud to partner with municipalities such as Kansas City, Mo., that are proactive in innovating snow operations for the benefit of drivers, residents and the greater community.

To learn more about how to digitally transform your snow removal operations, visit https://routeware.com/rubicon-smartcity/.