When it comes to winter preparedness it’s a lot more than knowing you oughta wake up a few hours earlier to start snowplowing. Savvy commercial fleet operators plan weeks ahead performing testing and repairs. Check fluids, test plows, service plows, test sanders, buy new plow edges and upgrade headlights. And that’s only the starter list.

When you start, however, is key.

Weather.com meteorologists reported that Colorado’s Sept. 9, 2020 snowfall was one of the earliest on record for the Front Range dumping snow from Montana to New Mexico two weeks prior to summer’s official end.

Farmersalamanac.com, the authority since 1818, predicts winter 2020-2021 could be brutally cold and snowy for much of the country.

Checking for winter grade hydraulic fluid in dump bodies, plows, and lift gates is essential.

Ensuring your equipment is winter-ready includes checking for plow cutting edges. Replacing worn plow cutting edges can spare you from having to replace the entire plow when handled proactively. If you allow the cutting edge to wear all the way through, it can damage the actual plow.

Get proactive. Pre-season services at OJ Watson can prevent downtime during the season that costs you clients and money when plows, dump bodies and lift gates don’t perform as planned once the season starts.

The topmost issue with winter driving can be fuel gelling. It can damage the fuel system and engine. Ask your OJ Watson experts what anti-gel additive will work best on your commercial vehicle.

More checkpoints:

• Check the age and strength of the battery.
• Check cooling systems including radiator, belts and hoses. Coolant should be at the optimum freeze point.
• Replace old fuel filters and monitor the fuel separator draining when full.
• Tires can become underinflated in cold weather affecting fuel mileage and wearing the tires. Adjust for the weather temperatures.

Pack your go bag. Include flares, a shovel, flashlight, anti-gel fuel additive, and of course a jacket, boots, gloves, water, food, and your cell phone charger…pretty much what you need all year round.

Booz Allen Hamilton, industry analysts since 1914, used National Highway Transportation Safety Administration data to determine that 15% of fatal crashes, 19% of injury crashes, and 22% of property-damage-only crashes occur in the presence of adverse weather and/or slick pavement.

Rain, sleet, snow, fog, ice, and wind significantly impact driving. Since these are factors outside of any driver’s control, the smart move is advance preparation. Call OJ Watson today to schedule vehicle upgrades and repair for the imminent winter weather.