# Wave of the future?



## Ice-sage

Contemplating getting into this service field. Here is what we are looking at. Got to test drive it when we were across the pond on a business scouting trip. Seems to be the right tool for the service we are looking to provide. We already have the electrical infrastructure and charging stuff implemented here. We also have Hino 195's with hook-lift systems that can be used as bin pickup or removal or site dumping. Our business has a super competent forward looking in house mechanic as well.

Just looking for some input from gentlemen that provide this service.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Chineau

$$
$$$
$$$$
$$$$$$??
I like it.
I had to stop the drama music though.


----------



## Ice-sage

Chineau said:


> I had to stop the drama music though.


Haha! True. I wanted to hear the machines working all the time as well.

We thoroughly enjoyed the experience as well. It is a great forward thinking idea to us also.


----------



## fireball

I think what I learned was not to provide this service. What we had was a inner city hospital. In essence it was four city blocks. Primary customer priority was gum stuck to sidewalk. We had electric Tennant sweepers and also mounted electric karcher pressure washers on them. Their parking and charging station was 20 ft from the guard office in a parking garage. At least once per month the charging cables would find their way to the local junkyard. At least quarterly fenders, wheels, controls and assorted gizmos would find their way to the junkyard too You have a competent forward looking mechanic but these guys work without tools and are completely transparent since guards and tv cameras can't see theem....it's magic. It is presently being done by eight people who get paid for 2 hours, shift is 5AM to 7AM. They are armed with whisk brooms and pans and plastic bags snowed and rainy days there is nothing to do. Sunday's and windy days are the worse days. Gum is control l ed by dry ice and long handled paint scrapper. Most days they are done in 45 minutes

Things to consider: Visibility people will appear from everywhere. They will be engrossed In their phones. If you see them coming you can maybe avoid them. It is the ones that Pproach from the rear who decide to pass just as you decide to turn. There are anti-colliding systems for trucks that would be perfect for this but at 5000 would be expensive.
Dust: How much dust does your system collect and how much does it blow out. The more dust that you collect the more filters you need to clean. There is a difference between street dust and powdered sugar found on donuts. 
Size of Debris: How does it do with odd ball stuff like one gallon milk jugs and large cardboard boxes(make sure nobody is sleeping in them) Is it easy to open the dumping bin to process TVs car batteries guns and 5 gallon pails of pics. Billy goat has a throat pickup on their machine that picks up by a pull of the handle. Is there a additional system that picks up liquids, puke, diarrhea?
Parts availability: N ext day parts I is two days away for someone who is in a time zone before yours. IG Italy. And the custom service is anything but next day. 
The field is wide open. There are new taxing/assesment districts being created by government bodies everyday. But each is unique in its priorities.


----------



## Hydromaster

I have found customs officials to be forward thinkers. And to preform their duties in a expeadeaded manner .

Thinking backwards, 
I’d never operate a street sweeper again. 
Nor would I go into that line of work.


----------



## Chineau

sweeping like snow can be lucrative if you understand the idea of say no more often. in my market for a period of time in the spring it is full time, but like every thing else in the small business/self employment work no one will hand you a booklet of do this and avoid that, it takes a couple of seasons putting your self out there.
a take away though those who can plan to clean up the world will take stacks to the bank, see you there.


----------



## Hydromaster

A forward thinker should see that when a business needs to cut back it’s the outside contractors that go or are cut back first.

Yes, some spend $$ on spring cleaning
A “one and done “
But most send out a employee with a broom to clean up around the store front.

The compilation to get the hospital work
Is crazy and they rarely change contractors
And most big hospitals are starting to do this work themselves.

I worked for a forward thinker who couldn’t think.
He had a elgen street sweeper and a tennet
It’s dusty and grimy work.
The maintenance costs are high even for machines built in the states or over seas.
How long do you wish to wait for parts?

The rewards are low.
No mechanic can forsee all of the maintenance involved.

Thinking forward do you have a place to dump the spoils? Because the days of dumping it out back are gone . It’s not clean.


----------



## Ice-sage

fireball said:


> I think what I learned was not to provide this service. What we had was a inner city hospital. In essence it was four city blocks. Primary customer priority was gum stuck to sidewalk. We had electric Tennant sweepers and also mounted electric karcher pressure washers on them. Their parking and charging station was 20 ft from the guard office in a parking garage. At least once per month the charging cables would find their way to the local junkyard. At least quarterly fenders, wheels, controls and assorted gizmos would find their way to the junkyard too You have a competent forward looking mechanic but these guys work without tools and are completely transparent since guards and tv cameras can't see theem....it's magic. It is presently being done by eight people who get paid for 2 hours, shift is 5AM to 7AM. They are armed with whisk brooms and pans and plastic bags snowed and rainy days there is nothing to do. Sunday's and windy days are the worse days. Gum is control l ed by dry ice and long handled paint scrapper. Most days they are done in 45 minutes
> 
> Things to consider: Visibility people will appear from everywhere. They will be engrossed In their phones. If you see them coming you can maybe avoid them. It is the ones that Pproach from the rear who decide to pass just as you decide to turn. There are anti-colliding systems for trucks that would be perfect for this but at 5000 would be expensive.
> Dust: How much dust does your system collect and how much does it blow out. The more dust that you collect the more filters you need to clean. There is a difference between street dust and powdered sugar found on donuts.
> Size of Debris: How does it do with odd ball stuff like one gallon milk jugs and large cardboard boxes(make sure nobody is sleeping in them) Is it easy to open the dumping bin to process TVs car batteries guns and 5 gallon pails of pics. Billy goat has a throat pickup on their machine that picks up by a pull of the handle. Is there a additional system that picks up liquids, puke, diarrhea?
> Parts availability: N ext day parts I is two days away for someone who is in a time zone before yours. IG Italy. And the custom service is anything but next day.
> The field is wide open. There are new taxing/assesment districts being created by government bodies everyday. But each is unique in its priorities.


Thank you for providing some great input and experiences.

We have no plans to let any entity, besides us, control parts of the business itself. Absolutely no intentions of contracting with certain types of businesses like hospitols or the such.

Lets just say our city got themselves in an interesting predicament they can not buy themselves out of, with the peoples own money. Therefore the opportunity for such a service as this has reared its trashy head, so to speak.

I have been creating and putting this endeavor togerher for a year now. We believe we have a solid plan to make it work. Asking questions here on plowsite, in this special sweeper forum was to get some perspectives from real companies or workers in the trade of. One can create a 700 page business plan on paper, but it is still necessary to try and get input from the real community. Alot of what you stated we have thought of. Some of the stuff you explained we have not. Every little bit helps. We do not like leaving any details out. Cover all the bases, then relook it all over and think about it more, than cover those bases. You get what I mean.

Again I appreciate your time to throw out a good reply.


----------



## Chineau

so did you sweep up a fortune this spring or just think about it?


----------

