Clearing the Way
Snow removal challenges the resources of large snow-belt cities and the patience of their people. Toronto, the largest city in Canada, has a population that exceeds six million in the city proper and another two million in the surrounding area. Due to its extreme winter weather, the city faces snow issues that are greater than many other cities in North America. For street plowing in the Etobicoke district, Toronto has an eight-year contract with VBN Paving, a local concrete paving contractor.
Case wheel loaders move snow
VBN Paving began offering snow removal services in 1986 as a way to bring in income and keep operators busy during the winter months. For the Toronto snow removal contract, the company purchased a fleet of 11 Case 621E wheel loaders.
“We like the Case 621E wheel loaders because they have the power necessary to push snow even in the toughest Canadian winter weather. Plus, we can use the wheel loaders in the warm weather for road work. It’s an investment that will pay for itself over time,” said Angelo Ventrella, vice president of VBN Paving.
According to Ventrella, the company uses eight wheel loaders equipped with push blade attachments to move the snow out of the way of traffic, or if necessary, to where it can be hauled away by truck. The company uses the remaining three Case 621E wheel loaders to load the trucks.
Operators like the comfort
Each wheel loader operator is able to remove snow from 40 to 50 km (24 to 31 miles) of streets per shift. Ventrella finds the 621E wheel loader agile for its size. “It articulates well so we’re able to work around traffic, parked cars and other obstructions. Yet it’s a big machine that we can take wherever we need to go,” he said.
The VBN Paving operators find the Case wheel loaders comfortable for the entire shift, which can run as long as 10 to 12 hours, according to Ventrella. “Our operators love the one-stick control. It’s one of the features that makes the machine so comfortable to operate,” he said.
He also stated that the visibility is great. “There are no blind spots outside the cab,” Ventrella said.
