Plow Position Technology: Why your fleet needs it this winter

For the past few years, ZenduIT has provided innovative fleet safety technology and devices to a number of industries, including municipal, public works, construction, utilities and transportation. At our core, we believe that if unwanted behaviours on the road can be predicted, they can be prevented. 

Perhaps this philosophy is best illustrated with waste management and winter maintenance services. Winter maintenance work is integral to keeping roads clear and drivers safe during snowy months, a feat that requires organizing, mobilizing and outfitting fleets to attend to the city’s roads with speed and efficiency. It encourages fleet managers to experiment with available technology to connect their fleet and streamline workflows.

Plow sensor technology aims to do just this. DiCan, the latest offering from ZenduIT, is a robust, durable sensor that helps you strategize routes more efficiently and accurately. Because DiCan sensors aren’t dependent on hydraulic pressure sensors or proximity switches typically exposed to dirt and inclement weather, there’s little risk of damage; in-cab mounting means that the sensor can stand up to bad weather, reducing vehicle downtime and minimizing maintenance costs. When used in conjunction with Public Maps or otherwise known as ZenduMaps, plow sensors become an integrated, innovative work tool that optimizes your city work operations.

What is plow sensor technology?       

Plow position technology integrates with ZenduIT’s telematics platform to sense and transmit snow plow blade positioning, which allows users to observe and gather insight into plow blade activity in real-time, directly from the vehicle’s cab. This technology has a range of applications suitable for many types of vehicles and assets, beyond winter maintenance. Currently, plow sensor technology has been used in all kinds of winter maintenance vehicles, including front, wing, and tow plows. In addition, you can now find sensors on tow trailers, rotary brooms (such as street sweepers) underbody scrapers and joystick-driven electric vehicles.

Solving for today’s road challenges

Traditionally, fleet managers have struggled with various inefficiencies surrounding road compliance and route optimization. In the spirit of improving operations and productivity, telematics is the nerve centre of most winter operations in many municipalities. Telematics provide connectivity, clarity, and transparency to fleet managers and drivers, giving them the freedom to manage different types of assets across the network. 

Mapping tools display all the movements, locations, and status of assets in one simple, intuitive space where fleet managers can utilize the edit and compliance tool to change settings, edit rules being tracked, routes affected, and many other parameters. When fleet managers adjust the changes and settings, the map updates itself in real-time with no lagging or delays; at a glance, they can determine which areas have already been plowed, and even how much salt is left on the vehicle to dispense. 

For fleet managers, being able to track and receive the information they need instantaneously is crucial in responding to unexpected events or identifying violations that happened during the work day. Using a system such as Public Maps, fleet managers can view the location of their plows, view route completion and even track multiple vehicles on specific dates at a given location.

Pursuant to the issue of transparency, it is equally important to make available a public-facing map that allows residents to track local winter operation progress. Constituents require real-time information so that they can make informed winter travel decisions. The two most important pieces of information for the public are whether winter operations crews have serviced their street and when was the last time the roads have been plowed and salted. Imagine if you could plot your route based on streets that are already cleared of ice and debris, right from your phone. Our comprehensive telematics solutions deliver on these promises. 

As one of the top telematics platforms on the market, ZenduOne is well-positioned to provide plow sensor technology with a top-tier ecosystem of business-centric applications and the tools you need to manage your fleet. With the addition of a plow sensor tool, all current and future ZenduOne users will have access to a solution that provides access to accurate and reliable telematics data. 

To help ensure that municipal or regional fleets are supported all year long, ZenduIT, and ZenduOne by extension, is dedicated to providing fleet managers with optimal tracking solutions and improved visibility of their ongoing maintenance vehicles, each and every season. Contact your ZenduIT representative for a free consultation, and find out how plow sensor technology can benefit your fleet.