Yet analysis conducted by a wide range of weather experts indicates we may be in for quite a winter’s wallop for 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 as well – meaning that it might be a good idea for trucking companies to start thinking about snow removal needs for terminals and maintenance facilities, along with getting drivers to start thinking about how to deal with the white stuff if they get stuck in a blizzard out on the wide swaths of U.S. highways.
[Here’s a short video showing off the well-honed snow removal skills of an Idaho town back in 2011. Note all the heavy-duty equipment that’s required to get the job done.]
Indeed, in an article penned by AccuWeather’s Kirstie Hettinga, the firm’s long range weather expert Joe Bastardi said he believes there is a significant chance for particularly frigid winters in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 into 2014-2015 – producing snow and chilly temperatures similar to winters of the late 1970s.
(I lived through a couple of those: not pleasant experiences by any stretch of the imagination!)
To that end, the Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) produced several videos (including some informative white papers) about some of the things businesses in need for snow removal services should look for.
Two interesting papers published by SIMA deal with topics familiar to any trucking company located in the “snow belt” regions within the U.S.
The first paper deals with the equipment, supplies, and tactics needed to effectively remove snow from facility parking lots and roadways.
The second one deals with growing desire among many snow removal customers to make such operations “greener” – which includes using snow removal chemicals that are less harmful to the environment. That’s not an easy task by any means – not in the least as it often involves extra cost.
Those then are but some of the issues that lay ahead for truckers as old man winter “warms up” for his annual appearance across the American landscape.
