What All Beginning Snow Plow Drivers Should Know

Deciding to venture into the snow plow world if you live in an area that receives regular snow during the winter can be a way to make some extra money or a way to extend part of your business. Like any new job or project snow plowing requires some thought ahead of time. This is especially true for someone who is only starting out.

If you find yourself looking at several inches of snow on the ground, and suddenly decide that snow plowing would be a lucrative adventure, think again. No professional snow plow company or driver goes into the snow season with no preparation. That can be incredibly costly and not to mention dangerous. There is much that must happen before that first snow hits.

Step 1: Buy a Truck and Plow

The truck and plow you buy will depend largely on your area. You may already have a vehicle that you would like to use, but you will still have to find a plow that your truck or SUV can handle. This will also give you an idea if you will solely being doing driveways or if you will be able to handle moderate to large lots.

The size of the work that you would like to do will also give you an idea of the type of vehicle and type of plow you will need to acquire if you plan to buy one. SUVs are more suited towards driveways and small lots, and although some can handle heavy duty plows not all of them can.

Trucks like the Ford Heavy Duties are more suitable for handling large lots. These are also much more capable of having heavy-duty plows installed such as BOSS models.

Step 2: Do Your Homework

It is definitely important to know what your competitors are doing in order to be successful as a snow plow driver. See what the typical rate is for the size of the job and see if you are capable of matching or beating that price. Know who works for who because this will allow you to earn contracts when one of these drivers or companies decides to no longer work at a specific area. As a newbie, this will also give you a way to learn which lots and residential areas are not being covered, and you can add these places to your client list before the snow sets in.

Knowing what the competition is doing is also a way to see where they excel and where they fail. Can you offer something they cannot? Do you need to work on specific areas to be as good?

Step 3: Truck Maintenance and Safety Inspections

Depending on your state you might have to meet different inspections and have the correct type of insurance coverage. It is always a good idea to determine what paper work you will need to have covered way in advance of winter. This will keep you from meeting any legal issues.

Truck and plow maintenance is also very important. Many snow plow drivers buy a separate vehicle for their snow plow business. It is incredibly important before winter sets in to make sure your truck or SUV is going to be able to handle everything you are going to throw at it. The last thing you want your first season out is to have invested your money and be stuck with a truck that does not run.

There are some truck repair shops that offer 24/7maintenance and will help you get back on the road as quickly as possible. It is a good idea to put these places in your contacts.

Step 4: Test Run

Once you have committed to becoming a snow plow driver and you have completed all the initial steps, the next step is to know your routes. When you make a new client, drive your truck and plow to the location. This will allow you to know the layout and also how your truck will do in any tight spaces, turning, and backing up. When you know the area ahead of time, even in snow you will have much less to worry about.

Since 1936, Levan Machine & Truck Equipment has provided truck equipment such as snowplows, spreaders, liftgates, central hydraulic systems, and PTO’s, as well as general truck repair and maintenance to the greater Reading Pennsylvania area.  Levan Machine & Truck Equipment is an approved vendor for the Pennsylvania Costars municipal purchasing program (Contract #025-072).