Snow removal business in your 2017 plans? Your first considerations should be what kind of snow plowing customers will you serve, and what kind of vehicle will you use?
It sounds extremely simple, but it’s not always easy or obvious to make sure you have the right plow for the job and the right vehicle for your plow. If you have questions, we invite you to stop in and talk with our experienced staff members. We work with hundreds of Cleveland-area snow removal professionals, and we are happy to help our customers get the equipment and tips they need to start and grow their businesses.
Smaller Trucks Can Handle Plows!
Picking the right plow for your vehicle is essential. Smaller trucks such as half-ton pickups, a Toyota Tacoma, F150, Ford Ranger or Jeep Wrangler can do a lot of driveways and small city lots.
Picking the right plow for the snow removal jobs you’ll be doing is equally important. When doing city snow plowing, bigger is not necessarily better.
If your work will primarily consist of residential driveways and small city retail business lots or you will want to have a 6’8” or 7-1/2’ plow.
Why? Think about your turn radius and the width of a typical city driveway. If you’d like to get referrals, you can’t afford to tear up the grass on your customer’s property!
Better Snow Plow Handling with Small Trucks
Smaller trucks have a softer suspension – and you may need to support your front end suspension with some leveling, airbags, or other suspension parts to support your plow and winter income. We carry and install Timbren’s quality-made suspension upgrades and parts to enhance the safety and vehicle handling that snowplow drivers need.
Small plowing jobs can be lucrative, and smaller jobs are where the typical new snow removal business gets its start. When you’re quoting larger snow removal jobs, it’s time to look at bigger plows and bigger vehicles.
Bigger Jobs Need Bigger Plows (and Bigger Vehicles)
Plowing longer, wide residential driveways and large strip mall parking lots calls for larger plows – typically 7’ to 10’ wide. Commercial snow plowing typically moves more snow at a faster rate. (Consider the length of the typical large retail parking lot vs. a small convenience store – you have a lot more runway at a Sam’s Club or Wal*Mart parking lot than you do at a quick mart!)
The extra speed and weight of the extra amounts of snow make for an extra heavy load on your plow and your vehicle.
Larger Blades for Larger Snow Removal Jobs
Commercial snowplows are completely different from residential plows. To handle the extra weight and speed of large snow removal jobs, you will need a larger truck. The most common commercial snow plows range from 7-1/2’ to 10’ wide and come in both V- and straight blade styles.
How do you know if you need a V- or Straight Blade? It will depend on your snow removal customers and how they want you to handle the snow. A V-blade makes it easier to scoop (use V- in reverse) and a straight blade is what you want to push the snow.
Starting or Expanding Snow Removal Business in Cleveland?
JTI has commercial and residential snowplow blades in stock, now. Financing is available. Call 440.232.4311 or stop in to discuss your options and your business plans.
JTI Services snowplows, all makes and models. Pre-season tune-up special: $150 – bring your plow in or call for details now, before you need your plow!
JTIinc.com 440.232.4311