Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Plows Ready Despite Dispute With State

From: "marcel_rf1" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2003 14:06:52 -0000

Plows Ready Despite Dispute With State

State Wants Plows To Have GPS
Technology

POSTED: 6:49 p.m. EST December 4, 2003
UPDATED: 8:15 p.m. EST December 4, 2003

KINGSTON, Mass. -- Massachusetts snowplow
operators say they're ready to hit the roads if the
area is hit by snow this weekend despite a major
contract dispute with the state.

But NewsCenter 5's Jim Boyd
reported that in Kingston the
snow and ice removal equipment
is ready to go, but it may not go
anywhere because of a contract
dispute.

"Our hope is that (the state) will
utilize us if they need us, and
we'd like to go in if they need us,"
said Kingston plow operator Fred Nava.

Operators who are part of the Snow and Ice
Contactor Association say they will honor their
current contract that runs through Dec. 31, but they
are balking at signing the new agreement proposed
for 2004. At the center of that new contract are
Nextel phones with global positioning satellite
technology. The state plans to use the technology
to track the locations of snowplows and use that
data as a basis for payment.

"So this actually is a great management tool as
well as great accountability tool," said
Massachusetts Highway Commissioner John
Cogliano.

"We have been fully willing to embrace the new
technology as a tracking device, not as an
accounting device," said Matt Frazier of the Snow
and Ice Contractor's Association.

The Massachusetts Highway Department said GPS
phones have been distributed to several operators
who are set to go for the upcoming storm.

"We're getting new people who have never plowed
for us. They are qualified snow plowers, but they
are signing on and I'm confident we are going to
have plenty of people plowing for us," said
Cogliano.

But Frazier said if his members must accept the
GPS agreement, the state will have to look
elsewhere for the 2,000 pieces of snow removal
equipment the association provides.

"If those are the terms of the offer, then those
pieces of equipment will not be out there," said
Frazier.

Snow and ice removal contractors will meet
Thursday night to discuss the agreement and
Friday, representatives will meet with the
Massachusetts Highway Department.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/2683974/detail.html

Video: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/2683974/detail.html#

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