The public works department is a multifaceted, ever-evolving municipal department that few fully understand. It is responsible for the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of a city’s infrastructure, including its roads, transportation system, bridges, water, waste disposal, pest control, etc. … Continue reading →
When an opportunity arises, it’s best to take advantage of it while you can, and that is especially true with municipalities planning for the future. The city of West Hartford, Conn., had such an opportunity and could take advantage of … Continue reading →
Demands for keeping our communities clean continue to increase with regulatory requirements and expectations of residents. While at the same time, our ability to get the job done gets more and more difficult with diminishing labor availability, increasing costs and … Continue reading →
There’s a Frostasaurus roaming the streets of Boulder, Colo., but city officials and residents aren’t worried. It’s one of a herd of 10 city snowplows bearing names bestowed on them this winter by Boulder elementary schoolchildren. “We wanted to engage … Continue reading →
For municipal fleets — as for many of us — the current state of affairs of higher fuel costs, supply chain issues and now inflation has been a triple whammy, causing those responsible for managing fleets to look at things … Continue reading →
There are good reasons for many fleets to switch to electric power. But converting a fleet of work trucks to run on electricity is no flip of a switch. To start with, producing a work truck is far from simple. … Continue reading →
Five or six years ago, the National Rural Water Association realized that approximately 50% of its wastewater employees would be retiring in just a few years. With this knowledge, the North Carolina Rural Water Association began developing and putting together … Continue reading →
During the height of COVID-19, many of us learned we could continue working from our homes — even late-night TV hosts — with today’s technology. Zoom calls and meetings with the constant reminder “you’re on mute” became daily or weekly … Continue reading →
Go green! That’s the wide-reaching mandate handed down by your city council. But when it comes to reducing carbon emissions, there’s an area that maintenance, utilities, parks and street departments are probably not even looking at — the up to … Continue reading →
Phishing emails. Hacked systems. Ransomed files. These terms have become all too familiar with reports all over the world from major news outlets. And, let’s not forget the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in May 2021. Now, tensions are even higher, … Continue reading →
Tractors are the workhorse of any fleet and do the heavy lifting for many operations. Over the past 100 years, tractor designs have remained relatively unchanged, with operators facing the same century-old challenges — noise and air pollution, rising fuel … Continue reading →
