The city of Buffalo has been testing a GPS system since last winter, and now the new system is officially up and running. Among the city's snow removal fleet, 80 units now have GPS including snowplows and salt trucks. Officials with the Buffalo Public Works Department say this enables them to answer important questions when trying to clear the roads. "What's really going on in the street right now? How much of my city has been opened up and how much hasn't, where I need to gear my forces," Buffalo Public Works Commissioner Steve Stepniak said. "It gives us tracking ability, vehicle information ability, whether the plow is down up, spreading salt."
Each vehicle has a small tracking device and antenna. The receiving end displays maps showing the vehicles location and routes completed in real time, while also documenting other information. "We'll be able to track where the vehicle has been, if it had plowed the street, if it did throw salt," Buffalo Public Works Fleet Coordinator Tom Laudico said.
The $175,000 GPS system, which is being paid for by a federal grant, is expected to make snowplowing more efficient in the city and reduce repeat mistakes. "You're gonna see better services and more efficient services... and when we miss a dead end we'll know and we'll be able to make adjustments so you won't see those chronic mistakes," Stepniak said.
The system is also designed to be used year round, on sweepers and trash vehicles in the warmer months. But right now it's time to first see how it's doing in the snow. "We're working through all the bugs... analyzing how it's working," Stepniak said. "And it's been very successful so far."
Buffalo just applied for another grant which would allow the GPS system to be used on all 545 city vehicles and equipment in the next couple years.
Since Buffalo is very familiar with snow removal, officials from Washington DC, Philadelphia, and other big cities have been calling here with questions on how to remove all the snow they've been getting down there lately.
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