At $3,000 per truck and six trucks it’s easy to figure the total cost of $18,000 for updating equipment with modern controls.
Manufactured by Palmer Power Products in Muncie Indiana the units are under warranty. The install cost by Palmer is less than Steve Compton could build the units.
Now if you think this is extravagant then you might wish to consider the Steve Compton Franklin street commission paid for salt this year at $65.00 per ton. If you compare that to Greenwoods reported $105.00 per ton cost, then Compton has saved Franklin taxpayers $40.00 per ton on salt this year. When you factor in the purchase of 1,800 tons at $40.00 per ton. Then Compton has made the city $72,000
Now with the newer modern controls Franklins salt trucks can operate application of salt more efficiently. 50% less salt per mile is already being saved and getting the same coverage. The drivers if they are getting the same (and more constant) coverage and saving about 50% of salt use, then in reality Franklin is saving ½ the cost of the salt used if they were using the old controls. That means to the taxpayer a savings that is a whopping $58,500 !
So the cost of each trucks updating is money in the bank for Franklin taxpayers. Not to mention the other benefits.
Safety is a big issue that must be considered. Drivers can set the rate and drive. Their attention can be used to navigate more safely and not be distracted by watching the ever changing knob manual controls. They do not have to watch while they are constantly changing rates with the old knobs to accommodate speed and driving conditions. With the electronic controls that is done automatically and the drives can be more attentive to the driving environment.
The drivers do have the ability with the new units to change the rate at will manually. For instance if they are approaching a bridge and everyone knows bridges freeze quicker than other surfaces. The driver can simply hit a “Blast” button and without resetting the controls the bridges gets a different rate of coverage, the unit resets and the driver continues on his assigned route.
Hot hydraulic fluid is no longer in the cab of the truck with the driver, another safety issue that must be considered. Then you also must consider the possible danger if a line should burst and the pressure is around 2,000 pounds. Hot hydraulic fluid is a danger in any environment, as well as the high-pressure lines, and the removal of the hydraulic lines to outside the cab, makes the drivers work in a safer environment.
So Franklin is no just saving a tremendous amount of money but Franklin is making the working environment for its street department workers safer. The streets driving conditions are another improvement, and accident wrecks can be easier avoided, the drivers are under less attention requirement inside the cab and can focus on the outside environment.
Electronic High tech Salt Trucks
Save Franklin Taxpayers money
Many Cities Going High tech Like Greenwood