# Comments Re; Plowing For Mass. Highway



## EXCAVATE49 (May 10, 2006)

Any Of You Guys Out There Who Work For Mass. Highway Snow And Ice Have Any Comments Regarding 2006/2007 Season ? Lets Chat
J.j.


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## Mysticlandscape (Jan 19, 2006)

What are we talking about, one of my buddies plows for Mass Highway


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## EXCAVATE49 (May 10, 2006)

*Mass. Highway Contractors*

Just Wondering If Any Contractors With Combos And Plows Got Jerked Around By Not Getting Called Out Or Only Getting One Piece Called Out So They Could Maintain A Fair Rotation Of Hours,down Here On So. Shore The State Is Resurecting Lots Of Their Old Trucks And Hiring Part Time Drivers In An Effort To Break The Guys Who Are Members Of The Snow And Ice Assoc.because After About 9 Yrs. We Finally Got Some Realistic Equip. Rates And Now That We Have Them They Don't Seem To Like It Any Comments?


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## Rickco (Dec 5, 2006)

Out here in the western part of the state they are getting a lot of there old junk bak out.


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*Wow,never thought that...*

They didn't learn the first time when they sold off all their snow fighting gear? I bought allot of parts and hardware for pennies on the dollar back then.
I haven't contracted to the State since 2001 and there hasn't been enough snow on the North Shore to see a change this season.Still have a half dozen buddies that have multiple pieces running for the state.
The last round of auctions our pits one ton went and it never had pushed snow.lol
I know in the past they have had a hard time hiring anyone with a brain so I don't think their plan will work for long.
I used to get jerked around with the Oshkosh every once in a while because it was at the top of the pay scale, every so often I would have to leave it parked and they would behave the rest of the season.
It took them close to 36 hours one storm to remove the pac because they jerked me around.If I had the belly blade with the ice rippers out there it never would have happened(Never did before,never did after).They had loaders,some sort of nitrogen tanker trying to hard freeze it off etc.It was a circus out there.lol $$$$$ All because they thought not calling me in at the beginning of the storm would save them some money. 
They privatized the north end of Route 3 from 128 north because they couldn't do the job, what makes them think they can five years later????
Is it the new Governor? Who cannot get threw a day without screwing something up?
Should be interesting.


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## EXCAVATE49 (May 10, 2006)

Hey Oshkosh 
I Think This Year They Have Been Extremely Lucky With Little Snow 
All Of Us Down This Way Are Hoping We Get One Good Blast In March To Make Them Realize That They Do Really Need Us On Our Terms,one Good Thing Has Happened All Gps Phones Have Been Turned Back In We All Think Gov. Do-all Saw What The Bill Amounts To Each Month And Said No-way, I Just Hope Someone Realizes What It Costs To Put These Junk State Trucks Back In Service Just To Piss Off Us Contractors


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*Thats a huge issue...*

Mass Highway is run by a bunch of desk jockeys for the most part now.These guys have never been behind the wheel, they are political appointees and pencil pushers.I saw the writing on the wall as they started trying to run all our storms on the N.E coast from Arlington.We would have 1" an hour backing in from the ocean and they would be saying it is sunny here knock them off..
Your are 100% correct, until they have a big storm they will have a *short memory *as to why they need real equipment on contract.Why they need to spend a little during the season keeping their contractors close by and on the ready.One good law suite because the roads where not clear and they will remember why.
No matter what they promise all they have to do is move the pit bosses around again and it all changes.
It used to be if you said anything they would say theres the door, we have a waiting list of contractors waiting to sign on.For a couple of seasons I have seen Contractor wanted ads in the Globe.Guess that waiting list got shorter.
One bad accident because they are throwing their bad equipment out on the roads and someones head will roll.They'll have no one to blame but themselves. 
I think the union was/is the best thing that happened to Mass Plowing and this coming from a guy who didn't like unions as a business owner.If they get the balls up to park the trucks for part of a storm I'm sure things would change.
Hard to tell this season but are they paying any faster?



EXCAVATE49;383608 said:


> Hey Oshkosh
> I Think This Year They Have Been Extremely Lucky With Little Snow
> All Of Us Down This Way Are Hoping We Get One Good Blast In March To Make Them Realize That They Do Really Need Us On Our Terms,one Good Thing Has Happened All Gps Phones Have Been Turned Back In We All Think Gov. Do-all Saw What The Bill Amounts To Each Month And Said No-way, I Just Hope Someone Realizes What It Costs To Put These Junk State Trucks Back In Service Just To Piss Off Us Contractors


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## EXCAVATE49 (May 10, 2006)

Yes Oshkosh They Have Gotten Better Paying, Matt Amorello Seemed To Be The First Commish Of Mass Hwy Who Really Gave A Shot About Us Contractors. Can You Tell I'm A Little Frustrated I Have Been
Doing Snow And Ice For Them Since 1969 Back Then They Seemed To Apprciate The Contractors Now We Are 2nd Class Citizens 
There Is One Thing You Can Be Sure Of Is Every State Employee(skirts Included) Are On The Clock For Every Event Even Black Ice When They Don't Even Call The Contractors Out My 2 Combos Have 36 Hrs. Ea. This Year My 3 Other Pcs. Have 0 Hrs. And There Has Been 2 Events When They Could Have Called Them Out For The 4 Hr. Min.
The Problem Is Until Some Politicians Wife Or Kids Is Involved In An Acc. They Don't Care Because You Can't Go After Them Personally And They All Cover Each Others Ass Anyway The Snow And Ice Cont. Assoc. Is Working We Have Gotten Several Good Things But We Have A Ways To Go J.j.


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*I guess they are...*

From what I have been told the season hasn't been any better up north.
Matt and I didn't get along,we butted heads one storm as he lived up near our pit.Even my Foreman told me he had his head where the sun doesn't shine.
My final straw was the season that we saw final payment Oct 15th.I started scaling back and selling off after that season.Kind of strange but my memories of 9/11 where that I was picking up my wing from the state yard when the first plane flew into the tower.I watched the second fly into the tower in the office there.That was my final season.
We have second and third generation contractors out of Pine St as I was told it was one of the first to be privatized.They all say the same thing year after year,"I don't know why we do this" There is no thanks involved,if anything happens the State will throw you to the wolves and to add insult to injury they hold onto the money till the last possible day. Having been there I know why they do it, but my pockets where not deep enough to loan the state half my income every season. 
The rumor mill has 128 from 95 north(Peabody) going private just like they did to Rt 3 from 95 north to the NH boarder.We where told that the Rt 3 project was a test and if that worked out as the different sections of highway where going to be redone they would be privatized.
While I was at Maine DOT I found out the Maine Turnpike is run by a private company from out in the mid-west somewhere.Go Figure.So it does happen.
My worst year was 55 hours and that hurt allot....


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## EXCAVATE49 (May 10, 2006)

Hey Oshkosh Thanks For Chattin I Was Planning On A Pretty Good Winter (i Know I Should Not Do That At My Age) But I Still Do. Anyway 
I Was Planning To Buy An Oshkosh 6 Wheeler ,something I Could Use 
During Excav. Season To Get Into Tight Backyards Etc. One With 60-65
Road Speed With Wing Setup The Whole Shebang But After This Winter 
And The Way Things Are Looking Economy Wise I Am Going To Hold Off 
When And If I Do Something I Will Certainly Seek Your Advice Knowing You Already Have One Or Two Of Them


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*Hard to plan*

Hard to plan as you said...Good news is you'll be able to dig if you arnt already early this season.
It was close to 50 up here today and again tomorrow,winter may come back but I have to say everyone is leaning towards spring.
I appreciate your vote of confidence on the truck shopping.Let me know when you are ready I may know of one or two in the area.
Who knows maybe you'll get one of those April Fools storms again.Those can be fun....
The economy is scary up here right now.I know of a handful of commercial for sale right on Rt 16 in North Conway, that isnt a good sign at all.
Best of luck this season.



EXCAVATE49;383734 said:


> Hey Oshkosh Thanks For Chattin I Was Planning On A Pretty Good Winter (i Know I Should Not Do That At My Age) But I Still Do. Anyway
> I Was Planning To Buy An Oshkosh 6 Wheeler ,something I Could Use
> During Excav. Season To Get Into Tight Backyards Etc. One With 60-65
> Road Speed With Wing Setup The Whole Shebang But After This Winter
> ...


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*You may get some hours yet!!!*

Mother nature may be co-operating!!!


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*Along the Lines of Commercial Plowing....*

Anyone noticing that there are some big commercial operations getting out of plowing?
One from CT for sure(See Auction listing) and one other is rumored to be selling out that plowed from Thompson/MA Boarder to Worcester Ma Rt395 for Mass Highway..

http://www.petrowskyauctioneers.com/Inventory.asp?ID=39&Day=2&Type=433


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## SnowPro93 (Oct 25, 2006)

yes that is one of the trucks, i've seen that fwd before on 395 coming north from ct. its too bad the state is screwing up because guys are going to remember this when the old stuff there "ressurecting" breaks and they need them back.


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*It is funny how the State has worked...*

You are 100% correct in that the state has a short memory.
One good storm and the public will be screaming at them asking why they couldn't get to work,why, why ,why?:redbounce .
Then the States powers to be will find a way to spin it all around in stead of saying; Well we jerked all our contractors around for the past ten years and they finally had enough.:waving:



SnowPro93;387256 said:


> yes that is one of the trucks, i've seen that fwd before on 395 coming north from ct. its too bad the state is screwing up because guys are going to remember this when the old stuff there "ressurecting" breaks and they need them back.


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