Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Operations Equipment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Adams County landfill managers modify tanker vent cap, plan equipment swaps and software upgrades
Summary
Staff reported a $1,400 modification to a tanker vent cap that reduced leachate sloshing, plans to trade a problematic dual-box compactor for a straight box, GPS integration work for heavy equipment, and a move to new diagnostic software to cut outsourcing repair costs.
Project and operations staff told the Solid Waste Committee on April 8 that several equipment fixes and process changes are under way to reduce hazards and operating costs.
Ruben, project lead, reported that Wabash installed baffles inside a tanker vent cap to reduce sloshing and overflow during leachate transport. He said the modification cost about $1,400 and that the driver has noticed a “big difference”: “There is no sloshing going out of the road,” Ruben said. Staff said the modification is cheaper than replacing the tanker.
Ruben and other staff described ongoing problems with a 3-36 dual compactor that has repeatedly filled and proved difficult to unload; they are exploring trading that dual for a regular straight box because straight boxes are simpler to repair and operate on small routes. Staff noted the duals had been sold to the county by a previous administrator with the expectation they would handle multiple routes; that has not proved true for current operations.
Operations staff also described GPS and telematics work. BOMAG GPS service required vendor support; staff provided CAD files to the vendor and said technicians are scheduled to complete settings and operator training. Staff also said SciTech will work on another machine (the El John) to enable full GPS functionality.
Nate, operations and maintenance staff, said the department is adopting new on-board diagnostic software to reduce calls for outside technicians. He said the originally quoted figure in his written report was misstated and that the correct quoted line was “59 and some change,” and that the annual cost would be lower than the alternative. “For us to bring our Bosch software up to the same level, yearly cost would have been 4,300. So we opted to go ... to save us money with having case come up,” Nate said.
Nate also reported hydraulic pump failures this winter on some trucks and said the department will try a lighter hydraulic oil (MV AW 32) used by the highway shop to reduce winter failures; he described plans to send a valve body for rebuilding and to pursue warranty work for other trucks.
Why it matters: the fixes reduce roadside hazards from leachate transport, aim to lower repair costs, and address operational reliability that affects collection routes and recycling services.
