Mayor: Indy Snow Force ready to go - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Snow Force is "ready to go," Mayor Greg Ballard said Thursday at a news conference.

Speaking in front of one of the city's seven salt barns, the mayor said the DPW team started preparing in summer for the upcoming snow season by completing master plow training courses and extensive maintenance checks.

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Referring to a row of snowplow-equipped trucks that stood gleaming in the sun nearby, the mayor said, "I'm looking at these new trucks...this is such a change. I'm so happy we could have these beautiful snow-fighting machines they've got for our Snow Force this year."

In all, the city uses 180 drivers who drive 106 vehicles to clear 6,000 lane miles of city streets when snow starts falling.

This year Indy Snow Force will use enhanced de-icers provided by Cargill, the city's salt supplier. Cargill will provide 125 tons of salt and five Ford F-250 trucks equipped with snow plows and salt spreaders. This is the second year of a five-year partnership Indianapolis has with Cargill.

The mayor says since the city began upgrading its trucks in 2008, there is better response time, less expensive maintenance costs and safer streets. He also says the trucks are safer and more comfortable for snow plow drivers, who work 12-hour shifts during snow events. With the new trucks, the mayor joked, the drivers "don't have to look through floorboard to see the street they're plowing."

The city purchased 63 new trucks between 2009 and 2011, and added ten trucks in January. All of the city's seven salt barns are fully stocked, the mayor said.

Last year was an unusually mild winter with relatively warm temperatures and little snow, but this year temperatures - as well as snow events - are expected to be closer to normal.

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