Master binder

[GeoffD]

For those of you with mulitiple drivers ( or with out), i would like some feed back on this idea.

Ask you know some drivers get done sooner than others, other get backed up because of more cars in lots ect. Or there isn't enough snow for a residential run so the residential trucks get put on commercial lots.

So I thought of two ideas.

Every residential truck / equipment, also has a commercial run, when residential plowing isn't required.

Also evey truck has a master binder, with a every drivers route, and what accounts are done by which driver, and are sanded by which truck. Also, list accounts by location.

This way is someone got backed up or some one else got done early, they could refer to the binder and pick up some slack.

Geoff

 

[John Allin]

You have described the heart of our "system" for managing our 150+ units from our office (in our immediate market/service area in Erie). The entire system is broke down into "Areas". Area Supervisors have master binders with all Areas contained therein. Each Area has up to 6 routes, each route has a crew leader managing up to 14 units (trucks, loaders with pushers, skid steers, etc). Our Dispatcher moves the guys around as needed as they get closer to finishing. All plowers report to crew leaders. All crew leaders report to area supervisors. Area supervisors report to Dispatch. Dispatch runs the show if there are problems.

Call out works the same way. I call Area Supervisors, they call Crew Leaders who call out route plowers. Reporting hours and completions works "up" the chain the same way.

It is smooth. Real smooth. But you need a strong Dispatcher who won't panic when it's snowing hard, or when customers are calling.

Your idea works.

[Edited by John Allin on 10-02-2000 at 12:31 AM]

 

[GeoffD]

Well my orginal plan was to have a binder on each plow truck. Loaders and tractors are kinda limited.

Only the dispather seams like a good idea. Maybe another job for my yard guy. Who will load sand/salt spreaders and plow the lot.

Geoff

 

[John Allin]

We limit the binders to the Area Supervisors. Don't need all that information out there for everyone to see.

 

[iowastorm]

Geoff,

Sounds like a great idea; something that we're trying to implement too. I think the plowing is the easy part-the logistics and keeping everything organized is the tough part. Seems to me that if your guys report as to their job status on a regular basis, you could move them around pretty easily. I'm trying to come up w/ the same thing now so I can have multiple coverage for all of our routes. Do you guys carry radios for communication and do you have a dispatcher?

 

[GeoffD]

For up to now i have played mobile dispatcher. Only maybe with a yard guy this year, i can have him dispath, and tend to the yard. I don't have that many trucks to manage compare to the big guys. I just have started to upgrade my communications, all portland radios have been replaced with Kenwoods, and all new trucks are and equipment are being equiped with new kenwoods.

I really don't see why you worry about the use of a master binder. Between my 7 trucks equiped with spreaders everyone knows where everything is anyways. Plus i don't have any subs, so it wouldn't be hard for employees to talk. I mean I wouldn't include the cost in these binders, just locations.

I guess if i have heard right, you have many subs and 80 items of equipment. So i guess compared to me you have a lot more guys to worry about.

Me on the other hand, 34 units including everything (shovelers trucks, loaders, tractors, trucks,skid steers, tracotors) tops, and no subs.

I will have to rethink the binder, maybe regional binders. Its not like a guy who finishes first on one side of the service area, is going to end up on the otherside.

Geoff

 

[iowastorm]

Geoff,

No, we're not that big. We push all of our snow and don't hire any snow. I'm thinking along the same lines as you; having guys cross over to help when they're done. Your idea of the master binder sounds like a good idea; I'm just thinking if having one in every truck or just letting the my field managers have them is the way to go. Question: what tools do you guys keep in your trucks for repairs/emergencies?

 

[John Allin]

Our trucks carry lots of Meyers parts, standard tool kits with wrenches/screwdrivers/etc. Nothing fancy. Major repairs are done by in-house mechanics. Spring replacement, hydralic hoses, quick disconnects - we can repair in the field. More than that, we bring back to the shop to have our mechanics do.

 

[GeoffD]

It varries from truck to truck. It depends on what the drive wants, some drivers want nothing, other want a mobil shop (just to be perpared). The only two problems i have had company wide during a storm, were a bad battery ( could have made it though the storm anyway), and a joystick, that sometimes took 2 or 3 times to drop the blade ( again could have made it through the storm. Each truck does have a small tool box behind the seat with standard tools ( the trucks with spreaders have sightly more). We keep come alongs in all the trucks, this way you can get the blade of the ground, and drive to the shop.

However the shop has almost as many parts as our diamond and fisher dealer. My yard guy, is good at plow repairs and will be ready to fix any break down thats incomming.

Geoff