What should a service crew inspect before winter?
Inspect each truck and attachment for safe operation, document defects, assign repairs, and confirm that a backup unit is available. Check tires, lights, fluids, batteries, wipers, plow hardware, and the tools carried to each site. Repeat the short safety check before every shift.
A winter fleet inspection is a dispatch decision as much as a shop task. If a truck is unavailable during a storm, the office needs to know which routes it served and which vehicle can take over.
What goes on the pre-season list?
Make a record for each truck, plow, spreader, and trailer. Include condition, last service, open defects, spare parts, and the person responsible for repair. Follow the manufacturer schedule for mechanical checks. A generic checklist cannot replace the instructions for a specific attachment.
What happens when a defect is found?
Mark the unit unavailable if it is unsafe, create a repair task, and reassign its planned work. Keep the defect and repair together so the next crew can see whether it was resolved. An undocumented verbal handoff is easy to lose when shifts change.
How do you test the backup plan?
Before the first event, choose one route and pretend its primary truck is down. Check whether the spare can carry the right equipment and material, whether the replacement crew knows the sites, and whether promised windows still fit. Fix the gaps before the forecast becomes urgent.
Common questions
- How often should crews inspect winter equipment?
- Do a full review before the season and a short operating check before each shift. Inspect again after damage, repair, or a hard event. Use the equipment maker's maintenance schedule for the exact mechanical intervals.