6 Best Snow Plow Route Apps for Swift Snow Clearing

Meet John, a local snow plowing business owner in Alaska.

As the winters start, he is swamped with managing multiple service calls, handling urgent requests, and planning routes to fulfill them. Plus, he must ensure his team’s safety while out there batting fierce storms and blizzards.

As he relies on manual route planning, frequent calls to on-field agents for updates, and paperwork to document completed jobs, his snow-plowing field operations eventually take a hit.

That’s the story of every snow removal business owner who struggles with streamlining snow-clearing operations in the absence of updated technology.

Snow plow route planner app has the potential to change this distressing story to a successful one.  But you have to pick the perfect ‘one’ that best suits your business, and that’s easier said than done, thanks to multiple options out there.

To make your selection easier, we’ve compiled the top 6 snow plow route apps for you, discussing their features, strengths, and weaknesses.

How Did We Choose Snow Route Planner Apps?

We put ourselves in snow removal companies’ shoes to understand what they go through. We then evaluated the top contenders first-hand, keeping in mind the key features like route optimization, real-time route adjustments, driver-dispatcher chat, and proof of service required for seamless snow plowing operations. 

We also analyzed user feedback across review sites like G2 and Capterra, discussion forums, and app stores. And here we are – with a list of the best 6 snow plow route planning apps for your business.

Understanding Route Planning for Snow Removal Business

Route planning is a process that includes creating the most efficient routes for snow plow operators to clear roads during the winter. Multiple factors, including weather, traffic flow, nearby hospitals or schools, and geographical features like hills and bridges, influence it.

The goal is to maximize the utilization of resources, minimize response time, and guarantee the well-being and accessibility of roadways for the public.

Are you ready to level up your snow management game?

So, winter-proof your routes with these top-notch apps that ensure stress-free snow removal and road safety!

Best Snow Plow Route Apps for Smarter Snow Management

Curious about the best snow plow route planners for smooth navigation through snow-covered areas? Here are the top six apps:

1. Upper

Upper is your end-to-end route management software to cater to all your snow plow business needs, making snow plowing operations a breeze for you. 

Upper empowers you to import multiple service stops in one go, optimize routes to reach them, and verify service completion – all through a single platform. 

Upper stands out for route optimization algorithms powered by AI. It allows you to create optimized snow plow routes based on various factors such as time windows, snow accumulation, and even traffic conditions. These snow removal routes ensure timely service while minimizing fuel costs and maximizing productivity. 

Snow removal businesses often face urgent service requests. Upper lets you add a service stop and reoptimize the sequence of stops accordingly to handle last-minute service calls, even when a route is in progress 

Another crucial feature is the GPS-based tracking system. With Upper’s GPS tracking software, you can monitor your drivers’ live locations. This helps ensure visibility into field operations and send accurate ETAs to your customers for them to stay prepared.

In extreme winter conditions, vehicles often fail to start or break down mid-way. Upper empowers you to communicate with your drivers through driver-dispatcher chat and address such situations. For this, they can redistribute the pending stops route to another available driver, preventing schedule disruptions.

Here’s more that Upper does to make your snow plowing operations smoother.

• Proactive Dispatch Scheduling: Upper’s driver dispatch software lets you plan your snow removal routes in advance and dispatch them to your drivers in one go.

• Proof of service (POS): Allows for capturing digital signatures, photos of cleared areas, and notes for service confirmation. This feature enhances transparency and minimizes disputes over service completion.

• Vehicle capacity management: It lets you define your different vehicles’ capacity constraints, such as weight limits and area coverage. It helps ensure that your planned routes match your equipment’s capabilities.

• Service zones Assignment: Helps create and assign specific zones to your professionals based on their familiarity with the area. This facilitates efficient coverage and reduces response times to emergency snow-removal service requests.

2. Droppath Route Planner

Droppath Route Planner simplifies the challenges of snow plow routes. It’s designed to streamline snow clearing, customer visits, and operational tasks in the snow plowing business. 

Droppath offers route optimization, live tracking, and seamless integration with popular navigation tools. Its user-friendly interface facilitates simple destination marking and efficient route history management. 

Features:

• Incorporate addresses from diverse sources—contacts, previous routes, current location, or importing a CSV file.
• Allows to organize data and contact information according to your preferences or visit sequence.
• One-tap access to Google Maps or Waze for detailed turn-by-turn navigation.
• Save route histories, duplicate or add destinations from previous routes effortlessly.

Pricing: Ask the vendor for pricing based on your request

3. Plowz & Mowz

Plowz and Mowz is an on-demand snow removal app for small businesses. Services can be booked either through the app or online. Plowz and Mowz has partnered with local snow removal experts to offer top-tier customer service.

The price of plowing snow fluctuates based on the location and dimensions of the property. However, you can request a price quotation by providing some details, such as your zip code, driveway size, and any add-on services. 

Features:

• The real-time ETA includes updates regarding the job status from the provider assigned.
• Paying additional fees will enable you to request specialized services like salting, car clearing, or shoveling.
• An insured partner means providing general liability insurance for snow removal business professionals.
• The image of a completed job allows you to upload photos of the tasks completed directly to the app.

Pricing: Need to fill out a quotation with details (available on the website)

4. Zeo Route Planner

Zeo Route Planner is a modern route optimization platform. It is not just a navigation tool but an essential tool for better snow plowing routes. This app saves time and resources for snow plowers navigating through snow-covered terrain.

The web version helps fleet managers create routes, track progress, and share live locations with customers. The mobile route planner schedules routes and collects job completion data. 

Features:

• Allows unlimited route creation and optimization for plowing snow.
• Enables adding specific instructions for each snow-clearing stop for streamlined operations.
• Seamless integrations with Shopify and WooCommerce streamline planning and execution.
• Analyze end-trip details so that you can track performance on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis.

Pricing: Contact the vendor for price

5. Jobber

Jobber is the ultimate companion for snow plowing businesses, especially when organizing tasks. It allows business owners to schedule jobs, dispatch crew members, invoice, and collect payments simultaneously.

Some of its features include on-demand job dispatching, bulk scheduling, multi-calendar views, and route optimization. Jobber assigns the snow plow jobs to the team instantly upon request. This app enables accessing job details and snow removal contracts from anywhere. 

Features:

• Offers a 24/7 client hub for requesting snow removal services.
• Automated texts and emails to notify the customers about any payment or feedback.
• QuickBooks integration saves time on bookkeeping, reporting, and financial management.
• There are multiple convenient payment methods for paying snow plow invoices.

Pricing: Customizable pricing plans

6. The Service Program

The snow removal software from The Service Program allows snow removal businesses to streamline their operations. This is a business management system designed to make it accessible to smaller companies.

This software is used by a wide range of industries to streamline their operations. This app offers multiple functions and has an easy-to-use interface. Plus, it seamlessly integrates accounts with QuickBooks.

Features:

• Route optimization allows the efficient optimization of snow removal routes using interactive maps. 
• Take pictures of work completion and get the customer’s signature effortlessly.
• The customer portal enables structured and organized communication among the team members. 
• Effortless integration with QuickBooks significantly streamlines accounting processes.

Pricing: Starting at $74.95/month for a single user

Thus, with optimal routes and advanced functionalities, here you go to elevate your snow removal operations!

Key Features to Look for in Snow Plow Route App

With numerous route planner apps available, it’s challenging to identify the features that truly enhance snow plows. So, let us check out the key features that bring maximum value to the snow removal business in the field:

1. Route optimization

This feature isn’t industry-specific; it is the silent hero revolutionizing various sectors. 

“Route optimization can save hours of route planning time and optimize routes for the snow removal business.”

By determining the optimal routes, you ensure smooth employee access to job locations while keeping their safety in mind. It crafts the most efficient snow removal routes by using live traffic and weather updates.

This highlights the benefits of route optimization, emphasizing its impact on operational effectiveness. Plus, preparing a master route before a storm saves hours and facilitates quicker responses after heavy snowfall.

Overall, this feature drives cost savings while minimizing environmental impact, ensuring satisfied customers, and boosting company success.

2. Scheduling and dispatching

This feature is the backbone of organized and timely services. It helps businesses allocate tasks, assign specific routes to drivers, and ensure everything works on time. 

For instance, imagine a scenario where snow removal services need to reach clients after a snowfall. The scheduling and dispatching features let businesses streamline their activities, making sure that each driver knows their route, tasks, and timelines they need to stick to.

3. Vehicle monitoring

Proficient snow removal software should facilitate vehicle monitoring. This feature gives a clear picture of the movement of work vehicles, saving valuable time. It also helps to track and monitor your snow plowing team out in the field for snow removal. 

Some routing & route scheduling software offers advanced features, such as real-time visibility by enabling GPS tracking. Knowing the location of snow plovers is also important for your team’s safety.

4. In-app communication

Communication through in-app messaging is crucial for the snow removal business. It bridges the gap between dispatchers and delivery drivers and offers a dedicated channel for efficient and direct communication within the team.

Dispatchers can instantly send updates, instructions, or critical notifications directly to drivers within the app. Whether a sudden change in a route or an urgent message regarding extreme weather forecasts, this feature keeps operations running smoothly. It ensures that everyone is on the same page, facilitating seamless coordination.

Hence, choosing a snow plow app with these features not only simplifies management but also helps to plan routes for a smooth winter operation.

Unlocking Snow Route Efficiency with the Right App

Route planning and optimization of snow plow route software become crucial for efficient snow clearance. The six apps discussed in this guide are game-changers for strategic snow management and optimizing routes. 

Remember, meticulous preparation is key to an efficient snow removal business.

The earlier one integrates Upper or any preferred app into their snow removal business, the better they can minimize disruptions and streamline snow removal routing operations. It empowers businesses with routing planning, optimization, live tracking, customizable routes, and real-time adaptability, ensuring smoother snow-clearing routines.

With Upper’s 7 days free trial, now is the time to turn those snow storms into your personal victory lap.