Questions and answers
Where are the devices?
Ask the road owner for a list, and walk your routes. New devices appear without much notice, and snow hides them.
What do crews do at each one?
Lift the blade before, slow, cross, lower after. Agree a landmark for each device on the route sheet.
Are different devices different?
Yes. Humps, tables, cushions, islands and raised crossings have different shapes, so ask the owner which are present and how they behave under a plow.
Can the owner help?
Some owners mark devices for winter, remove temporary ones or give guidance. Ask about their winter practice.
What about the edge?
A strike can chip or bend the edge and damage the device. Inspect after any suspected contact.
What about routes with many devices?
Consider whether another route order, a different truck or a different priority would reduce the number of crossings.
Prevention checklist
Calming devices are fixed, known and therefore preventable edge strikes.
- Get the device list and map from the owner.
- Walk or drive the route and mark each device.
- Agree lift points and speeds in the route sheet.
- Brief all drivers, including relief drivers.
- Inspect the edge and the device after a strike.
- Report damage and review monthly.
If strikes keep happening
Look at the number of devices, the visibility, the driver’s workload and the equipment set-up. Talk to the owner about marking or winter treatment of the worst ones.
Planning with the owner
A short meeting with the traffic engineer each autumn can produce a list of new or changed devices, advice on winter marking and a contact for damage reports. It also lets you raise the worst problem sites before the snow.
Consider a short note in the route sheet for each device: its location, the landmark, the lift point and the last date it was checked. Drivers new to a route can use it on their first night, when they cannot rely on memory and the snow has covered the markings.
Boundary: No device heights, shapes or standards are cited; ask the road owner for details and winter practice.
Further reading on this site.
High-Speed Runway Clearing: Blade and Edge Requirements ↗Snow Plow Blade Selection by Road Class: From Residential Streets to High-Speed Highways ↗JOMA style rubber-flex blade ↗Reading the Scrape Line: A Photo Guide to Good and Bad Passes ↗Plowing Along Curbs: Protecting Edge Ends and Curb Faces ↗Fresh Overlay and New Asphalt: First-Winter Plowing Settings That Avoid Raveling ↗
