How to Optimize Snow Plow Route with Routing Software? (Benefits + Future Trends)

As winter blankets our landscapes, the challenges of snow removal impact daily commutes and emergency services. 

In the United States, every year, 24% of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy, or icy roads and pavements. This makes winter a demanding season for snow-clearing providers.

However, the task of clearing snow swiftly demands optimized plow routes. Unoptimized routes can lead to wasted time, fuel, and resources due to duplication, uneven workload distribution, and overlooked streets.

So, for those in the snow plowing business or looking to start a snow removal business, optimizing routes becomes the key to maximizing limited resources.

To make things easier for you, in this blog, we’ll explore the fundamentals of snow plow route optimization. Our aim is to provide you with insights to enhance your snow-clearing capabilities and delight your customers this winter.

Understanding Snow Plow Route Optimization

Snow plow route optimization involves the systematic planning and optimization of routes that snow plows follow to clear roads, streets, and other surfaces during snowy or icy conditions.

The goal of snow plow route planning and optimization is to minimize the time, resources, and costs associated with snow removal while ensuring that critical areas are prioritized. 

The process takes into account various factors, including geographic information system (GIS) data, real-time weather conditions, traffic patterns, priority areas and roads (schools, hospitals, fire stations, and emergency routes), and the integration of efficient route optimization algorithms.

By optimizing plow routes, municipalities, snow removal services, and snow clearing service providers can enhance their response times, reduce fuel consumption, and allocate resources more effectively.

Enhance your understanding of snow plow route optimization with this insightful video. The video showcases real-world applications and the impact of advanced routing strategies on reducing travel time and optimizing resource allocation in snow removal operations.

Why Do You Need Snow Plow Route Optimization?

For snow removal companies, unoptimized plow routes can seriously hurt productivity and profitability. Without careful snow plow route planning, you may grapple with the following issues:

• Inefficient overlapping routes: Trucks wasting time repeatedly plowing the same streets means slower overall clearing.
• Uneven workload: Imbalanced route assignments will leave some trucks overloaded and others underutilized.
• Missed streets: Lack of coordination can result in gaps with streets left unplowed after a storm.
• Excess fuel and labor costs: All the duplication, backtracking, and delays add unnecessary expenses.
• Slow customer response: Key accounts and high-priority locations may not get serviced early enough.
• Equipment wear and tear: Unbalanced usage and mileage decrease the lifespan of your snow plow fleet.

9 Benefits of Snow Plow Route Optimization

Implementing optimized snow plow routes can significantly improve your snow-clearing operations:

1. Faster service: Strategic routing allows you to focus on high-priority areas first. This enables faster response times to open up roads and access for customers.
2. Increased productivity: Eliminating duplicated streets and wasted mileage means trucks can plow more area and service more customers within the same shift times.
3. Cost savings: Reduced duplicate plowing, fewer miles driven, less wear on equipment, and better allocation of labor hours result in lower operating costs for fuel, maintenance, and wages.
4. Balanced workloads: Analyzing route density and timing ensures plows are not overworked or underworked. This also confirms that drivers are not too busy to finish their routes or sitting around with nothing to do.
5. Complete coverage: The route maps and assignments are carefully reviewed, and the plows are organized to systematically cover different areas. This way, the entire area gets the attention it needs, leaving no gaps in the snow removal service.  
6. Driver satisfaction: Less chaotic, overlapping routes reduce driver frustration. Logical route sequences, territory assignments, shift scheduling, and designated rest stops improve the drivers’ experience.
7. Customer satisfaction: Organized, rapid snow clearing improves customer confidence and loyalty. Quickly reopened streets and parking show reliability.
8. Environmental benefits: Route optimization means less overall fuel burned and emissions released. Trucks drive fewer excess miles. This supports sustainability.
9. Data-driven improvement: Detailed data on route timing, completion percentage, and other metrics helps make relevant adjustments for future storms. Continuously optimizing snow plow routes based on analytics improves route planning results over time.

How to Plan Routes With Snow Plow Route Optimization Software

When it comes to efficiently navigating through winter’s challenges, utilizing snow plow route optimization software like Upper can make your snow removal operations more streamlined. 

It works as a powerful snow plow route optimization calculator that streamlines the process of planning routes, ensuring that every street is cleared effectively without wasting resources.

Here’s your step-by-step guide on how you can plan snow-plowing routes with Upper:

Step 1: Import service addresses

Utilize Upper’s import spreadsheet feature to effortlessly add hundreds of stops without the hassle of manual entry. 

Whether it’s a CSV file or an Excel file, importing all the addresses becomes a breeze, freeing you from the tedious task of entering each service address manually one by one.

Step 2: Customize stop details

Tailor each snow removal stop by editing essential details such as address, name, additional notes, and priority levels. This customization empowers your delivery drivers to perform according to your customers’ preferences, enhancing overall service quality.

Step 3: Build driver profiles

Once you have added stop details, just click on “Next.” Now, add new drivers with the ‘Add More Drivers’ option. 

Upper allows you to assign roles, add contact information, and specify vehicle details.

The platform’s flexibility even enables you to set individual schedules and break times for each driver. Providing all this information enables smart driver-to-route assignments.

Step 4: Generate optimized routes

After adding the drivers’ profiles, click on the ‘Optimize and Assign Routes’ button. Upper’s advanced routing algorithm will intelligently optimize routes and generate the most efficient routes. It’ll also divide snow-plow stops among multiple drivers optimally.

The visual map review page allows for easy route adjustments before the routes get dispatched to the drivers. Upper even gives you the option to swap drivers.

Step 5: Swift route assignment

Share optimized snow removal routes with your drivers effortlessly. Upper offers one-click dispatch, sending routes directly to drivers via the mobile driver app or through text/email with a URL.

You can even print hard copies of the optimized routes for added convenience, enabling drivers to kickstart their tasks without any hassle.

Step 6: Real-time visibility and paperless proof

Upper transforms your snow removal operations by offering real-time visibility into the routes. You can track the whereabouts of your driver and check the status of your service in real time, empowering you to make quick and informed decisions.

Also, once you have provided the service, Upper allows your drivers to use the app to get signatures, notes, and photos for each successful service. This keeps your entire team in the loop and ensures your snow removal service excels without the hassle of paperwork.

By leveraging Upper’s user-friendly route optimization, your snow and ice removal business can work smarter, not harder, this winter. Upper can serve you as a powerful ally in streamlining operations, maximizing resources, and ensuring top-notch service delivery.

Top 5 Future Trends in Snow Plow Route Optimization

As technology continues to evolve, the field of snow plow route optimization is not immune to innovation. 

Though route optimization and GIS applications are already delivering major benefits for snow plow operations today, the future holds some exciting developments that will further enhance capabilities:

1. Artificial intelligence (AI) integration: AI algorithms will analyze vast sets of data, considering real-time weather conditions, traffic patterns, and historical data, to dynamically adjust routes for maximum efficiency.
2. Predictive insights: Predictive analytics will enable snow removal businesses to anticipate and plan for traffic and weather conditions in advance.
3. Autonomous snow plow vehicles: The self-driving plows are being developed, equipped with advanced sensors and navigation systems, to automate snow removal. This could enable 24/7 clearing without human drivers. 
4. Drone technology for surveillance and mapping: Drones equipped with advanced cameras and mapping technologies will be deployed for surveillance and mapping of snow-covered areas.
5. Hybrid equipment: Electric and hydrogen hybrid plow trucks will provide environmental benefits through reduced emissions and noise.

Mastering Winter with Efficient Snow Plow Routes

Winter’s challenges demand strategic solutions, and snow plow route optimization emerges as the key. 

In this blog, we uncovered the significance of route optimization. We’ve also addressed the pitfalls of unoptimized routes while introducing Upper, a powerful tool for streamlined operations.

By following Upper’s step-by-step guide, snow removal businesses can work smarter, ensuring faster service, increased productivity, and cost savings.

As winter approaches, take a 7 days free trial of Upper to transform your snow-plowing challenges into opportunities for excellence and sustainability.