Work Closely With Police.
Cliff Thomas of Cabin Craft Parking Lot Maintenance recommends:Use cellular phones to keep police informed of your activities. Keeping police posted as to where and when you are sweeping is good public relations in case of noise complaints. As an added bonus, it reminds them that you are available to come by and sweep up glass in the event there is an accident in the area.
We have also found it to be a good policy to have our drivers phone police whenever they see anything out of place. For example, late one night I came upon a Coca-Cola truck which had apparently been left unlocked. When I got there, kids were filing away with cases of the stuff! It was nice having the phone in the truck, so I could call the police quickly and discreetly.
Another useful piece of equipment to keep in your truck cab is a digital camera. Instruct all drivers to take pictures immediately if the sweeper hits a car, lamppost, etc. Your insurance company will appreciate it and the photo can be important evidence if your driver is accused of causing an accident. Having a camera on board, and instructing that it should be used if there is an accident or other questionable or suspicious circumstance, should be part of a firm company policy to fully document and report all such incidents that are encountered while sweeping.
Editors Note: Digital cameras are a great way to document whatever your driver sees that's out of place. Then, you can easily send the photo to most any of your customers without any delay or the need to visit their location personally. Today you can get a usable digital camera for under $100. At that price, it is an indispensable piece of equipment in every sweeper.
Have an idea that would be helpful to others in the industry? Please let us know what it is.
