RE: [puma-news] Snowplowing

I don't know of anyone doing plowing for hire. Here's why:

Most services like Sugarloaf don't last very long. The economics just aren't
there. You have an expensive, complex piece of equipment that you are only
using a small amount of time. It has to have a big engine, so it uses a lot
of fuel. When you're using it, it's typically during the worst conditions
(causing breakdowns, which are expensive to fix, and mean you can't charge
for plowing that you can't do). So, you're trying to get enough customers to
pay for that expensive truck and plow, and its maintenance. If you get
enough customers to make a go of it, along comes a big storm. In a big
storm, it takes longer to plow each customer, and what was just enough
customers is now too many! And most of those customers will be upset,
because they want to be plowed first.

This will be the twenty-second winter that I've plowed my 0.7 mile driveway
on Porter Ranch. I also plow HCFD Station #4 and my mother's drive. That's
more than I want to plow, already. I've worn out two plows and one truck
over the years (I'm on my second truck and third plow). In other words, I've
paid a bit of fools' tax, learning the ropes. If someone wants to get a plow
for themselves, I'd be more than happy to share what I've learned, and point
them in the right direction.

John Carder

-----Original Message-----
From: waltressa-john@att.net [mailto:waltressa-john@att.net]
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 11:03 AM
To: PUMA News; PUMA
Subject: [puma-news] Snowplowing

I seem to remember someone asking for snowplowing resources, since Sugarloaf
is no longer doing that in this area. Were there any responses? If so, we
are interested, too.

Thanks, John and Wally