# Organization



## guido (May 13, 2001)

This is always an issue during "The Big Storm". What are some of the things you guys try to utilize or do to keep track of trucks, customers, and employees during the "rush" hours of winter?

We use a Dispatch board covered with plexi glass so we can write on it with grease pencils than erase it. It keeps track of who's in what trucks, if the truck is non-op it will say why and where it is (and location if no one is out with it) How much liquid and dry chemicals are in trucks and which ones, and how much de-icing material we used to date, and how much is left in our tanks and storage areas. It helps the dispatch guy a lot because he can get a hold of everyone and have a heads up on all the status of vehicles and de-icing supplies all from one chair in case anyone needs info or he needs to make a decision quick.

Just wanted to see what you guys use to help out as far as forms or boards or whatever.


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

I have a 4X16' white board that list the following.

Amount of fuel on site
Amount of Sand and Salt
Amount of Mag Cloride
What drivers are in what trucks.
What trucks are on what routes.
We list magor accounts directly under the truck that is working there.
Smaller accounts are listed in the master binder. Just look up the route number in the binder.

We also have a section, for trucks that are stuck, and how long they were stuck. Any mailboxes that were hit, or any other damage.

All this sits in the dispatch office. Along with 4 TVs, 2 computers, and a base radio, and a multi line phone.

Geoff


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## guido (May 13, 2001)

*Geoff!*

Sounds like our dispatch office almost exactly, we have the 2 computers now, we use one to "play" on the internet and e-mail, its also on our base network and we have another that we use for our GPS S&IC System to give trction readings, temperatures, and current conditions of our Airfield.

Now, you definetly got us beat as far as TV sets! What are they doing with 4 TV's???? I can only watch one at a time!

Thanks Geoff, anyone else want to share?


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

With 4 TVs we can watch all 4 weather forcast at the same time. Never hurts to get a second, third or forth view on the forcast.

The 2 computers are there for when we sometimes have 2 people in the office. During a weekday day storm we may have 2 people in the office. We store client data on the computer, and also use them to look up weather forcast.

Geoff


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## jimsmowin (Jul 28, 2000)

1 tv, 1 weather alert monitor, 1 computer, 1 scanner- so we can avoid roads closed or accidents, 1 weather station, 1 base 2-way radio, multi line phone, looking for an in office device to read outside ground temp. 1 master route book.


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## GeoffD (Dec 21, 1999)

Anyone useing multi channel radios. Like my whole company is on 1 channel, and we also have a talk around truck to truck channel. Anyone have 2 or more channels?

Geoff


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## guido (May 13, 2001)

Jim, I've never seen a simple device like that. I'm sure the one that we have costs way to much. Its mounted under one of our 1 tons and the GPS sends the ground temp back to our map on the PC and records it. That truck also pulls the traction test wheel, but this is only for our airfield.


Geoff, we use one channel for our airfield to communicate with the control tower and our equipment out their and we also have a base side channel that we use for the guys out on streets.


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## jimsmowin (Jul 28, 2000)

we have 2 channels 2nd is talk around. my weather station outdoor temp sender is about 2" from ground level. i have a nother outdoor temp device mounted about 5' from ground level. between the two i can get an idea on trend of temp. there is sometimes a 5 - 10 degree differance. not perfect but it works. there is a gauge available for trucks that read outside temp and ground temp- cost about 700.00. all our state hwy. trucks have them.


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