Published October 21, 2026 · By PlowPilot
1. Property walk-throughs
Mark hazards
Curbs, drains, landscape lights, irrigation heads, low walls and anything that disappears under snow.
Choose pile locations
Where snow goes, and where it must never go: sight lines, fire hydrants, drains, the neighbor’s side.
Note keep-clear zones
Mailboxes, propane tanks, accessible parking and dumpster pads.
Photograph existing damage
Cracked asphalt and chipped curbs before you touch them saves an argument in spring.
Install stakes
Reflective markers at edges, ideally before the ground freezes.
2. Agreements and payment
Every stop has a signed agreement
Including returning customers. Last year’s contract does not cover this year.
Seasonal payment is recorded
Decide your policy on unpaid seasonal customers before the first storm, not during it.
Trigger depth and walkway scope are written down
Both sides should know what one push means.
Emergency contacts are current
Who to call when a car blocks the drive at 4 a.m.
3. Route order
Start with priorities, not distance: commercial lots with opening times, medical needs, steep drives that must be done before they pack down. Then fill in residential stops. Use any optimization tool as a first draft only.
Drive it once in daylight
Look for turnarounds, low branches, tight entries and places a trailer cannot go.
Review stop order manually
Software does not know local hills, school zones or which lot gates are locked overnight.
Set a backup order
Know which stops you drop to the end when a storm runs long.
Estimate a full-route time
Then add margin. Promises made to customers should be based on bad nights.
4. Truck, plow and tablet
Service the plow and hydraulics
Hoses, cutting edge, lights and pins.
Mount and charge the tablet
A secure mount and a charger rated for the cab.
Load routes while online
Open your route before you lose signal. Test location permission once.
Carry spares
Shear pins, fuses, a tow strap and a shovel.
5. Communication
Tell customers what to expect
Roughly when you start after a trigger and how to request service.
Decide how you notify completion
Completion emails, shared photos, or nothing, and be consistent.
Brief any second driver
Routes, property guides, and who to call.
Limitations, stated plainly
- This checklist is general guidance, not a safety certification or insurance requirement.
- Check local rules on snow placement and right-of-way.
Common questions
- When should I start?
- Walk-throughs work best after leaves drop and before the first freeze, typically mid-October to mid-November in the northern U.S.