How long have you been plowing?

[snowjoker]

Just curious as to how long has everyone has been plowing/involved in the snow indystry? I have been doing it about 10 yrs. with a couple yrs off about 6 yrs. ago. Let's see how many years expirience we all have combined!plowing! plowing! :feedback

[AL Inc]

Started as a shoveler when I was 15, and worked for others until I bought my own plow 6 years ago. I have 3 trucks with plows now, 2 that go out regularly, and 1 back-up.

[wyldman]

This season will be my 19th year doing snow. :D

[GreenQuest Lawn]

This will be year 13

[JohnnyU]

This is my fourth year in my own truck. I had been plowing (shotgun with dad or uncle) for 2 years before that, as the highly respected shoveler:haha

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Gee- I'm a newbie by far then!!!

This is my first year doing full time plowing! with commercial accounts.

I have 5+ years doing residential on the side, and I grew up in the Catskil mountains, so I kinda had to learn how to mange snow there, then I got lucky enough to move into the snow belt 15 years ago and have had to do my own for abut 10 now.

So I guess combined time behind the wheel- 7 years- time behind a stick plow- countless!!!

Bill:D

[razor]

This will be season #13 for me.

[TLS]

This will make the 17th season snowplowing with a truck, and 23rd snowplowing and snowblowing if you count my pre-drivers license years behind the wheel of the tractors and blowers in my old neighborhood.

Add a few more to that for riding shotgun with my Dad and being angle boy and shovel boy. :D :rolleyes:

[grasshopper]

7 years.

[jt5019]

Third year with commercial accounts 4 years total.

[Adams Plowing]

this is the 3rd year for me...

[greensway]

This will be year 16. Bought a new 1988 Jeep Comanche
(I saw it a couple years ago still plowing):)

[Pelican]

My Dad let me start plowing the driveway with our farm tractor at age 7, many many moons ago. I bought my first truck at 18, plowing with a radio and heat was a luxury!

I started plowing commercially at 18, that adds up to 25 years of commercial plowing. Although I did a few driveways with the tractor, I don't really count that, but I'd have 36 years plowing.

Can I be that old???:headwall

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Wow! They had tractors and trucks back then?!?!:notworthy

Sorry sir- couldn't resist!!!

On another note- I'm glad that we have people with your experience and caliber here- it helps to make this site what it is today.

Bill:D :salute

[EIB]

This is my lucky 13th. :D

Looking forward to many more.


Everett

[Mick]

This is the 4th winter. I learned to plow by buying a 7.5' Fisher for the Dodge 150 in Oct, 2000. The next year added the 3500 with 9' Fisher plow and 2-yd Fisher sander. The following year passed out some Magic Salt samples. Started making and selling Magic this year. Retired to full time plowing this month. Before that I'd never sat in a truck with a plow on it. I'd never even owned a 4wd vehicle.

Even before I bought the plow I was on Chuck's truck site learning.

It just keeps growing.

[drobson]

3rd year this time around. Another 5 or so with a break in between.

[gordyo]

27th year

[campi]

been pushing snow for 34 years most of the time with tandem dumps last 10 yrs with pick up, still love it , and still learning , with all new stuff out there!! Campi !!!!!

[windmill]

I still work with a white cane, learned everything I know from my son, so I don't know much. (Sorry grasshopper couldn't resist.:).
3 years for me, so I know how to walk and am learning how to run. Still askin, "how does thay work?", how come it only snows at night?", and lots of why questions. Typical 3 yr. old stuff.:)

[JCurtis]

on my own 30 years, plus riding with my step dad for about 4 years before I could drive myself...


:shades Guess that adds up to 34 years

[GMCHD4x4]

I have been plowing for 5 years. Up till two years ago shoveling my hold life too! :D back breaking work, finally got a 18"power snowblower! Took my dad 25 years to get a snowblower and plowtruck. :headwall





all better now :burnout

[BWinkel]

9th year for me

[tovoninc]

25 years off and on

[DeerMeadowFarm]

We bought our first house 15 years ago; we had a 250' long driveway. A friend GAVE me my 7 1/2' Fisher plow. I plowed that first year and every year since up until last year, mostly my own place with a dozen or so customers on and off over those years. I switched to the tractor for our new house (1500' driveway). I haven't done any commercial work for the past year (too busy building the new house), nor do I plan to for this year. As some of you know, the 'ol Chevy will soon be passed on to someone new and I'll be getting a newer (95) Chevy 2500. This year I'll drive it, work out the kinks and look for a plow over the summer for next year. So fo me, 13 years for truck plowing and this is my second season on the tractor. Great forum BTW, you guys rock!

[BRL]

:rockon :rockonn :rockon


This will be the 9th Official season, with some resi's on the side a couple of years before that. I had plowed\back hoed a few times years ago for the company I was working for at that time, but we rarely got accumulating plowable snows there.

[aleksei]

This will be my first season!! :D
Actually, I'm on the sidewalk crew, but will be, uh.... "expertly instructed" on non-critical snow (Saturday mornings in the back of the parking lot, etc....). It's an apartment/light shopping complex, if that didn't make sense.

aleksei

[Bonzai]

Started shovelling with my dad at 13, even got to miss school in order to help, that was great. The first time I plowed I was 16 and had only been driving for 9 months. He came home at 9:00PM and gave me the keys and said be careful and be back by 7:00Am. That was fun, every bump I hit I thought I had broken something. That was 21 years ago:eek: boy how time flys when you are havin fun.:canada

[bobcatman]

This is my sixth year plowing. Had 4 years of snowblower experience before that. Even back then I would wake up at 4:00 AM to see if it snowed,

[Chuck Smith]

Started shoveling driveways for cash with friends at 9 or so. Man did driveways take long at that age..... Kept it up until I was 16, then moved up to the shovel guy and passenger seat plower. "no, push it over there", and "start over here, and work over that way"....

At 18 I was plowing in a truck on my own. Mostly residentials, and a few small commercials.

So, I guess if you count the passenger seat plower time, about 18 years now.

When I look back at all the places I have worked, one question comes to mind.... Why didn't any of them take my suggestions on how to improve operations while I was working there? They all implemented my ideas after I moved on.

~Chuck

[dfor]

This will be my 8th year

[Snoworks]

This will be my 10th year in the business. My first love was snowmobiling. My wife told me to choose which one I wanted to stay with, I picked snowplowing!:D :burnout

Chuck B.

[Fordhipo]

This will be my 12th year my how time flies

[Waterchikn]

3rd year for me. Its funny how you get a plow on your truck one time, and your hooked. Oh well.

[Prosno]

24 years and still pushin:cash

[sno-mover]

Got my own truck when I was 17, this will be my 4th year :cash

[mac]

Going on my 6 th year.

[atgreene]

Started riding as wingman for my father when I was probably 3 or 4. He drove for the town in a 1960's International 1700 4 wheel drive with double wings and V plow. He built my brother and I a wooden V plow for the driveway about 2' wide. We plowed lots of miles on our knees opening our "roads" in the yard. Graduated to a Ford 9N around 8 or 9 and to wingman for the town at 16. Gradually worked my way into my own business. So, short answer almost 30 years.

[Long0]

I sat shotgun from the time I could walk until I was about 12 - Then dad let me drive the truck and clean up behind him while he was on the dozer pushing the banks back. I started on my own once I got my license and then took a 2 year break for college. Six years after college and I am still at it :beatsme

I guess that totals 8 years running my own gig:D

Andy

[scfall]

5th year with my own Equipment, 6 years before that for someone else.


:burnout Scott

[T-Zab]

Started out at 19 as shoveler and back up driver, then got too run the new truck (78 F150) in 89. Drove that for 3 years and then went into hibernation, for 9 years. Back at it again for the last 3 seasons and lovin it more then ever. So I guess you could say I have 6 years experience behind the wheel.
Todd

[Garagekeeper]

I ran out of fingers and toes counting back, I can't believe its been 37 years.
:rolleyes: John..............

[Adams Plowing]

I just added up if you combine the experiece of the people that have posted thusfar we have around 550 years of combined plowing experience on this site... and thats not even counting all the members who havent chimed in on how long the've been plowing...

[pro property]

wow mega years of experience on this site.
..... My first season and we havent got any snow yet.....
just a newbie. :canada :burnout

Actually , I plowed my driveway with about a 1/4 of snow on it last week,,, whoopee....lol

[snowplowjay]

Going on 5 years for behind the wheel work

but ive been in a plowtruck pretty much since birth since my father has been plowing for about 39 years.


Like I said the "snow fever" runs in the family.



Jay

[snonut12]

This will be my third year snowplowing. A year before I begun, I bought and used a snowblower to do a few driveways. I quickly saw how long and tiring it take to do driveways with snowblower in long, heavy winter, so I got a plow for my Toyota that I had. Prior to that, I have been shoveling a few sidewalks since I was a kid.

[Ohiosnow]

:burnout 29 years & still making money plowing!

[DanG]

Way too long.:(

30+ yrs

Started out plowing my parents and a few neighbors with the old "doodle bug" tractor my dad had made.
Flat head ford model "A" 4 banger with 4 speed, no cab= no heat:headwall

I used to freeze half to death by the time i was done.

Started doing that back in the early 70's( i believe i was around 10 when he let me start doing it). I have been at it ever since.

Pretty much all residential with a few small commercial properties thrown in.

Dan

[BRL]

"I just added up if you combine the experiece of the people that have posted thusfar we have around 550 years of combined plowing experience on this site... "

Adamsplowing,
Time for that Lake Effect machine to kick in, as you have w a y too much time on your hands. :D

Dan G,
Reading stories like that makes me think about how much better outdoor clothing is these days compared to back then. That must have really been brutal compared to someone doing that today.

[Adams Plowing]

BRL your absolutly right... im bored outta my mind waiting for the snow to finaly hit... normaly we would have already started the season by now... its hard to believe were this late in dec and no plowable events yet...

[cardoctor]

20yrs
at least i dont have to get out the truck
to angle the blade anymore
john:grinz

[KenP]

Started as the angle boy on an old Jeepster and a Willies pick up or something like that. Took a break while I was in the service, so 15-18 years total I guess. Manange a few commerical accounts now mainly.

[Chuck Smith]

I talked to an oldtimer a couple of years back, and his father was one of the few to do salting way back. His job was to crank the handle to raise the plow, and to angle the plow. Then, when salting, him and another kid shoveled the salt into the spreader while standing in the back of the truck. He told a story about one of the guys falling out of the dump body, and him not being able to tell his father. His father just kept driving along, and he kept shoveling salt. When they got to the diner for a break, his father asked him where the kid was,:beatsme and he told him that he fell out a few miles back! The kid showed up at the diner about an hour later, and he was not happy!

~Chuck

[cardoctor]

:D :D :D

john

[slplow]

I started as a co pilot 3 yrs old . At 13 my father let me plow in lots. At 17 took over the snow biz so legally 18 yrs.:cash

[hbrady]

15 years plowing the same 1700' Gravel road and 5 driveways. Can do it in my sleep now :eek:

Everyone is asking me to plow their driveways now that I have a new truck (Street legal) but I just can't put my new Toyota through that. Someday I'll have a nice 3/4 ton :grinz

-Henri

[sonjaab]

TOO LOONG !

But still lots of fun...........Besides it gets me outside in
the winter ! Not to mention the $$......

And I sure don't miss running the STICK PLOW like
when I was a kid !............geo

[PSDF350]

from 8-12 i shoveled driveways then from 12-15 used a tractor to do driveways for my cousion when he didn't feel like it which was often. then back to just shovling parents place for next couple years. then did some in truck for 2 years for boss that was 20 years ago. since then it has been me and the shovel doing own driveway. this year will be first year on my own in a truck.:burnout

[Big Nate's Plowing]

was 14 when I first got behind the wheel of a "lot truck" and my job was to drive around with the blade down during snows keeping the lanes clear.

been on my own for 3 seasons now, going to add a second truck this season:D

[Grant]

30-something years. My most memorable was when I had a '62 Ford F-250 with an 8 foot Valk plow. The truck was tired before the the storm of '78 came along. Dumped about a yard and a half of sand on the bed, chained up all four wheels, and off we went! Made more $$$ in that storm pulling others out of snowbanks than I did plowing some entire winters. By that spring it was about dead and I pushed it out into the woods at a friends farm. Last I knew, it was still there.

[fordsrule]

I have been going out with my dad when he plows since I was little. Last year I really got to help because he hated the Fishstick controller in the truck he was driving. He let me control the plow, I got really good at anticapating what he wanted me to do with plow.

2 years untill I can get my own truck and license and plow :D

[Plow Dak]

Off and On for 31 years.
Longest run was 12 years straight..
Might decide to get a little more serious about it this year.

[ram1500]

Plowing 25 years and still going strong.

[John DiMartino]

19th yr here.

[nsmilligan]

Started in the early 60's with my father's war surplus Jeep( before I had a license), hand jack to raise the plow, and manual angling. Needless to say backdraging was just the way you plowed!:D You didn't lift the plow unless you had to travel on the hwy, and then sometimes, only if it was a ways down the road, and the road was bare. We only used salt for sandwiches then, but if it became icy we would put a trailer on the Jeep and shovel sand off it. Moved up to a Land Rover, which required 2 persons to operate, 1 to scrape the frost off the inside of the windshield, and angle the plow, it did have an electric lift for the plow, which also meant you carried an extra battery, an plowed without the current drain of headlights and such (what heater there was). I remember the first hydraulic angling plow we had, a Meyers, it was on a new 62 chev 4x4, people used to asked to see it work!:rolleyes: Though I have had a couple of Meyers since I haven't seen a lot of innovation:beatsme ( official Meyer's bash).:rolleyes:
Remember taking a gal to the local submarine races 1 evening in that truck, and hit a bump on the dirt road which resulted in the plow hitting the road , and breaking the moldboard pivot pins, and I almost drove over the plow! I got it back in place and beat the mounts back over the pins so the plow stayed attached, and took the truck home and parked it. Next day it snowed and Dad started with the truck, and in only a few minutes, drove over the blade!:beatsme. Anyway the blade was fixed at the local welding shop, and the next season we got a brand new Fisher with a trip edge! Dad said the pivot pins weren't very strong :rolleyes: Anyways with the exception of a couple of Arctics been a Fisher person ever since.

Bill:

[REED384]

thirty ahem years . started driving a loader for the friend of mines dads company till i got my liecences then got a truck been at it off and on since. mostly on

[Pickering Snow]

This makes the 16th yesr has a company i have pushed snow since i was 18 also my dad had a snow service and then when i worked in the small shops we always had a wrecker with a plow so iwould be near the 22yr mark i suppose one thing that i just dont tire of is snow.The funny thing is like Pelican said some of the first trucks i pushed in i felt lucky to have a heater and radio the first truck had so many holes in the floor board my feet got wet. Know 20 some years later pushing snow with power plows more weather and on board electronics than i can image a laptop computer xm radio, and the sound of a diesel humming in my ear, cell phones gee who would of dreamed that 20 yrs ago

[Tileman]

I started moving snow when I was 16 working on a farm plowed out lanes so we could feed livestock. Used an old Oliver with a front-end loader. Left the farm and went back to town and didn’t plow much until the blizzard of 78 got to ride a big Ford tractor with a rear blade to clean out more lanes to feed more livestock. Then about 1980 became a back up driver for the guys I sub for now. In 1999 we (Me and BJ )bought our first truck and picked up some accounts of our own. So with sub work and doing it myself have been moving snow for some 25 years. Have used tractors with loaders, rear blades, rear mounted snow blowers, and then trucks with blades that move with out getting out of the truck to change the angle.

Rich

[PETE/NY]

Started my business back ( WAY BACK) in 1966 with a BN Ford Bronco which cost me $3200 with a BN Western 6.5 fully hydraulic plow installed!! Just bought a BN 04 Chev with a BOSS 7.5 to carry on!

[windmill]

Bet the BN '04 cost about one more Zero than the BN '66. :)
But I guess a zero is really nothing, is it? :D
Welcome to the site PETE/NY

[PETE/NY]

WINDMILL- thank! Youre right quite a few more Zeros!!! Never thought I would see the day a pickup cost more than a couple house I bought back in that era but time marches on! Sure wish I had that old Bronco and some of the old Dodge Power Wagons, Sno-Fighters and some, Heck can't even remember some of the names!!

[chtucker]

5 years, 2 with a skid steer to start and 3 with trucks

[CT18fireman]

This will be my 13th year plowing. Three years before that shoveling and snowblowing.

16 Total years snow removal.

Seems like yesterday sometimes and 50 years other times.

[repo_man62]

# 15

[THREE W]

4th year as an official business.

[windmill]

Welcome Walla Walla. So what were you before, the unofficial snow plowing guy?? :)

[Del-Mac]

First year plowing for my self,20 years plowing exp. with the landscape company I now sub for.

[CPSS]

15 years

[crashz]

I started plowing when I was 13 cause my father had the local airport contract in Pittsfield, MA. I plowed for him for ten years, graduating from pickups to loaders and single axle dumps. I was also the sole operator of our blower (truck mounted Sicard Jr. ) and ran that until we lost our contract in 2002 (the FAA funded the airport for their own snow removal equipment). So in total I've run snow removal equipment commercially for 14 years.

For the past two years I have not been immersed in it, primarily because I live 2 hours away from my family's business and the loss of our primay contracts. Occasionally my father will get work for the loaders and call me up for a few storms I also keep my GMC there in case he needs a back up truck.

Total seat time: 16 yrs

[Pelican]

Good to see you back, CPSS!!:waving

[2004F550]

Ive been out w/ my dad since I was about 4. Been doin sidewalks etc since about 8 and I'm 18 so i guess thats 10 yrs. Dad's been at it for about 46 years.

[JustUsDe]

I started shoveling driveways and sidewalks when I was around 12 years old.
I was an equipment operator and plowed snow for the Delaware Turnpike for 11 years. I now work in the Deldot Transportation Center as a supervisor and have been here for 6 years.

I have been plowing with my own business going on 3 years.


Ray

[grasshopper]

About 8 years. I started out with a 78 Dodge Power Wagon and a "Winter Wolf" plow that was lifted with a winch. Boy I sure don't miss those days.:rolleyes:

[pcarlson]

Well, I've had my truck for 5.5 hours now, but since it is in the forties with no precip, I have been pushing snow for 0 years!

After reading your posts, I am at a decided disadvantage. I have worked the stick plow for many years, bought a nice blower several years ago, but I haven't ridden shotgun with dad or or been the shovel for anyone. We will see how it goes when the flakes fly!

[windmill]

Welcome, and stay tuned to this site pcarlson, there are so many pros here that can walk you through it, you'll be having fun like the rest of us in no time.

[pcarlson]

I sure hope so!

[cja1987]

This will be my third full season, the first time i plowed was about 4 years ago on private property, plowed my own drive in big storms before i had my drivers liscense when my father would bring home his firends truck with a plow, since they used to just siwtch the plow truck back and forth beacuse they were each only plowing their own drives. Overall i have plowed at least once in the past four winters, i have now been doing 37 drives for the first 2 years and about 40 drives for this year.

[mndot232]

28 years for the state highway dept., 2 years for a township, and 37years plowing on lakes for fishing

[snocrete]

28 years for the state highway dept., 2 years for a township, and 37years plowing on lakes for fishing

:eek:....am i reading this correct 67yrs total!!!!!:eek:...........BTW welcome to LTS!!!:D.......................................... .................this is my 5th season on my own, did a little bit of stuff with Dad n Grandpa's bobcat when I use to work for them but not to much.......always wanted them to get into the snow business but never had any luck, or should i say they had no desire 2.......i knew i was going to pursue it when i started my own bus. and did just that........dad n grandpa saw/heard how it was going for me and wanted try it out...........so now he has 2 SS's w/pushers instead of the 1 SS w/bucket, like when i worked for him:wink......

[stargazer]

49 years. Started with a hop off and manual angle snow blade on a tractor as a child. Sure could stack snow with the blade on the lift arms!

I'm not counting almost getting killed in my excitement running around on the plow banks as a 4 and 5 yr old when someone else was plowing. My dad probably got the snow tractor so I'd be up on something and behind the plow blade, instead of in front of it.

I'm just as excited now as I was then. The last blizzard, I would have paid to plow for the first 10 or 12 hrs. The next 4 or 5 I would have done for free (except I need help paying for the equipment). The last ten hours I was tired and glad I was being paid.

For me, plowing is a natural "high". Unfortunately, we don't get much $ here in western Maine. People aren't rich and they need to be plowed often. The old timers (I'm just a whippersnapper) plowed for next to nothing.

And traditionally, customers paid by the plow, 4" or 2 feet, same money. No "blizzard clause" here! Usually it averages out but for the last year, when it rains it's a deluge, and when it snows, we get buried.

[Deere John]

We started in 1981, so we've seen a bit. We haven't seen it all by any stretch - that's part of the wonder that keeps us doing this.

[Snoworks]

I am feeling old after reading this post. I have been plowing for 15 years now. Time flies when your having fun. I still have my first plow truck sitting im my driveway, a 1994 GMC Jimmy, with front and back blades. I am acutally looking for a clean 1993/94 pick-up to swap the plow too! The GMC is rusting away as I type, its a shame.

[kahuna]

Started in 1999, and have been at it since. My neighbor had a plow and had according to him a hugh route. I told him it sounded like fun and offered him my help one time for free. We did a small apartment building, took us 15 minutes. He told me usually I do the sidewalks (there was about a mile of them, and he only had a shovel) but not today he did not feel like it, we drove about 20 minutes between houses and plowed five or so for free, one of them was his "morgage guy" and some day that guy was gonna give his a loan maybe. We were home in two or three hours, two of them were spend driving, he did not drive on the highways, said it was illegal to drive on a highway with a plow. said he use to carry a gun to protect him from people stealing all of the cash he use to bring in. Thank god I did not use this guys business model to start my business. And thats how I started. He showed me that there was money in plowing just not the way he was doing it. Best advice he ever gave me was" I could show you how to plow, but the best way is to just get in a truck and learn for yourself. " I did, and I am gratefull everyday I learned nothing from him.

[Mark Oomkes]

Can't remember anymore.

Started as copilot with my dad when I was 4 or 5. Nice old IH pickup with front and rear plow. I do remember a couple times out in a Jeep as well. He'd let me operate the plows in the bigger lots. Whenever there was a snow day, he'd get me out of bed so I could ride along, probably where my distaste for school started. :grinz

Did some shoveling in the late 70's during the blizzards, at his condo projects. Might explain my distaste of sidewalks and condos. :grinz

When I was 14, we went to a church parking lot, he jumped out and told me to get in the driver's seat and start plowing. Nice, light 8" of powder. Might explain my love for lake effect. :grinz

Went back to sidewalks--with a blower--over the next couple years and would plow here and there when I could to help out. Then I did it full time during college and here I am.

So behind the wheel that puts me at about 26 years. I feel really old.

[OSCLandscaping]

So behind the wheel that puts me at about 26 years. I feel really old.



Well,
























You are.:D:D:D

[Mark Oomkes]

Well,
























You are.:D:D:D

But,

































not as old as you!!!! :eek:

[JD PLOWER]

I started in 1988. Dad started with my uncle plowing driveways after work in 1969.

First photo was me and older brother along with Dad in 1975 I was 5.

Other photo was my brother in 1970 at the age of three.

[grasshopper]

Well I have a post on this page already that says 8 years....but that is a four year old post....so I now officially have been plowing for 12 years. Sadly I am still using the same plows and trucks as four years ago too....it must be that quality maintenance program I have in place:D

[juicedwildcat]

Started in my teens riding with my dad, then started plowing at work in 01' and started my own 3 seasons ago. So total 10-12 years.

[OSCLandscaping]

But,































not as old as you!!!! :eek:

But really close. :D:D:D

[wingplow]

i got 25 years plowing where i work now..

did 4 before that for a local contractor, and a few before that in my own truck

so that adds up to way to many sleepless nights

[DanG]

30+ here.
started on tractors on the farm and shortly after moved up to trucks

[fordsrule]

Well its been almost 5 years since i origanlly replied to this thread. Time flies when your in high school ;). Well i've got almost 2 seasons in now plowing for someone else. Probably close to 10yrs rideing around with my dad when he was plowing, and countless hours of shoveling.

[GSJ]

25 yrs. of plowing a route. All that kiddie stuff, sidewalk shoveling and shoveling grandma's driveway doesn't count.:D

[06 Cummins]

I have been plowing for 12 years now, 4 of that for a municipality and the rest for the company I am at now.

[wolcottseptic]

5 years doin it seriously about 10 screwin around in my own driveway with old junk trucks and backhoes

[GMC Driver]

All that kiddie stuff, sidewalk shoveling and shoveling grandma's driveway doesn't count.:D



In that case, I haven't really started yet... :wink

[hlntoiz]

Started back in 2001-02 season. Bought a house 2000 and paid my (my now good) Buddy $35 to plow my driveway. I said that was easy bought my first truck thte summer of 2001 and the rest was history. Started my whole career that way.

Only missed one storm since (my daughters birthday last year).

My origional truck. That is where my business colors came from. Loved that truck! Wish I still had it.

21536

[TLS]

Since this thread is over 5 years old....

I'm now up to 23 years. :rolleyes:

[rick74]

Plowing for 18 years now

[Stik208]

Started my 6th year, I do it as a side job now and it breaks up the the regular grind. I do miss my own plow traded it in with the black truck, although I saw it in the want ads for 2x what they gave me for it haha.

[JD Dave]

Got to plow the farm yard at age 11 because everyone else was tired from plowing the stuff that made money. Caught the shed with the loader but dad didn't even get mad, said stuff happens. Dad went away in feb to the farm show when I was 14 and my mom had to look after the mall we had so I got to run the one tractor all night with a 9 ft pusher. Caught a curb that night and bent the one wing real bad but boy did I have fun. Still plow that same mall 22 years later and I still remember hitting that curb everytime I see it.

[Chuck Smith]

You mean this doesn't count? :D I was 2 or 3... You can see the old blower with the steel wheels next to the mailbox. Grandpa cleaned up with a stick pusher, and I cleaned up behind him. I can still remember Grandma forcing us to put those free plastic produce bags on our feet before the red galoshes went on, LOL.

Here is my son, he is 2 in this pic. I bought the shovel for him when he was 6 months old :D

~Chuck

[PSDF350]

Chuck I remember needing to wear the ol plastic bags:wink

[Britt_Landscaping]

For five years in trucks, and before that it was done with tractors.

[nick13]

ive plowed with my dad for about 4 or 5 years then last year when i got my permit we left a truck down the lot plowed with that and been plowing ever since

[stargazer]

You mean this doesn't count? :D I was 2 or 3... You can see the old blower with the steel wheels next to the mailbox. Grandpa cleaned up with a stick pusher, and I cleaned up behind him. I can still remember Grandma forcing us to put those free plastic produce bags on our feet before the red galoshes went on, LOL.

Here is my son, he is 2 in this pic. I bought the shovel for him when he was 6 months old :D

~Chuck

Hey, it counts. No one said anything about a motor! :grinz

[campi]

I have been plowing for 39 years , but this is going to be my last year!! just don`t have that RUSH that i used to get , so it`s time to stop, I will still be on this site cause the best people are here !!! Campi !!!!

[glllc]

13 years :eek::eek:

[Rookie1]

Ill go backwards. Ive been with the city for 10 yrs. I dont plow on a regular basis,mostly relief for tired or hungry drivers. 2 years before that on call for city I live in plowing/salting streets. Lastly or first I worked for a landscaper that had the account at Stouffers food in Solon. I ran a loader there piling snow and backdragging loading docks. Im by no means a seasoned or skilled snowplower. Just seem to muttle through somehow.:wink

[JohnnyU]

This was my first year not plowing. Well, that's not totally accurate, I did help out my uncle (who took things over from me) and his guys one one job during the first storm this year. Otherwise I didn't touch a blade or controller all winter. I'm not sure if they're related or not, but this was the first year that I was extremely annoyed by snow and found it to be a real PITA....:rolleyes:

[SkykingHD]

We have been plowing since the winter if 1972. We have 3 generations working now. Here is the youngest, he was 7 when he started. He is 9 now and has graduated to the loader. He can load snow or salt. Parents and grandparents do make a difference in raising children.

[Rochestersnowman]

23 years pushing snow

[EIB]

Welcome to LTS, Rochestersnowman.

[SIPLOWGUY]

First push around 1981. My own plow since 1996.

[DGTLLY65]

jeez..im a newbie! this will be my third year.

[HIGHBOY]

This is my 20th year :D

[Basher]

started in 72

[Mark Oomkes]

started in 72

18 or 19?????? :popcorn :rolling

[ADMSWELDING]

20years here, since i was 17yo.:drool

[Basher]

18 or 19?????? :popcorn :rolling

sixteen:popcorn2

[FERRERA10]

the company has been plowing for 13 years. i have been for 3. i think that good from a 16 year old kid:grinz

[Pickering Snow]

Does getting out and angling the blade for my dad count? Longer than i want to recall , i now hate winter....;)

[Basher]

Does getting out and angling the blade for my dad count? Longer than i want to recall , i now hate winter....;)

If it does 12, same year I got my first shotgun.

[2COR517]

If it does 12, same year I got my first shotgun.

Did they have guns back then?

[FERRERA10]

hah no i drive with the shoveler and well he shovels i plow

[Cornerstone]

Starting my 9th season. My dad taught me how to plow when I was 15 with a '79 K5 Blazer with an old school Western. The equipment I own now runs circles around what I started with.

[dchr]

Started riding shotgun with Pops at age 5 in his Internation Scout II. Around age 7/8 started shoveling for money along with riding shotgun and was the angle man. Actually pushed snow for the first time at age 12. Bought own truck with money earned shoveling at age 16 and have been in business ever since-24 years:eek:

[jmac5058]

Started blizzard of 78 Missed mabey 5 or 6 seasons since cant sleep if its snowing.

[Brent Offerman]

Started in 1982 . My dad taped blocks to the foot pedles on the machines.
Could only plow at night though dad did'nt want to get in trouble for child enslavement. Worst part was I missed a lot of school can you tell from my writing & spelling skills. Thats alright though, I did my part to make sure food got put on the table. Went through a bad recession then. HHMMMM!!!!!! Wait a min. this is kinda farmilar. Were in a bad recession right now and my son is plowing. Wow when they say father like son they mean it literally!

So lets see here . wate wate wate wate yep thats it 28 long cold years.:D
Yep! my son is definatley going to college,

[gordyo]

Does getting out and angling the blade for my dad count? Longer than i want to recall , i now hate winter....;)

I vote it should Fred, that is the same way I started too!! Dad had a 1968 International Scout w/ manual angle Fisher.

[Farmcat]

I started plowing in 79 with my dad's old scout 800 with a 7' fisher. it was a cool setup there was no head gear. The lift cylinder was on the a-frame and there was two chains that hooked up on two pieces of angle iron up on the bumper. I still wish I had the old scout it could really move some snow.

[MEYER GUY]

23 years of plowing in the Cleveland area and still love lake effect snow.

[BayCityBullet]

Shoveling: 31, Plowing 25.

[Big Job]

I guess ill be showing my age. The year is around 1951 when my father
bought off my uncle one 1933 Plymouth PD for $17.50. The cut the back
off It was a 4dr. Then he made that plow frame, got a vacuume brake
booster off some chain drive something. Welded up some crude junk steel
for a blade. Equipment , one 55 gal drum of Ice water, tire chains and
a case of sterno for heat. My memories I completly learned my driving skills
with this vehicle being my best pal for years and years. As I write this I
still can smell that thing never had any brakes no heat forget the only one
wiper. Around 1956 a state of the art 1 ton 1946 Chev with (factory plow)
he bought. Atleast it had some heat wipers worked when they felt like it,
still need chains and the good ole barrel for weight. No one had ever seen
a 4x4 then only the railroads, power co. had some. Now some 55yrs later
before I croke I am going to find a 1933 Plymouth PD period!!!!!

[Mrs.OSCLandscaping]

Tooo freaking long!!!!

Oh, someone take me to a beach somewhere...with "snow white" beaches!:cool:

[massbowtie]

legally when I was 17,which works out to be 27 years. Ive always subbed for a contractor. Before I could legally plow I started plowing with a melroe bobcat when I was 12-13 on private property. I was 13 during the blizzard of 78 and went out for 2 days. I didnt think it was that many years until I just added it up,so I really have about 31-32 years. oh the good ole days.

[dcutler]

Started with a my own truck in 1998 part time. full time in 2000. now have 1 shoveler, 4 plow trucks, 1 vee box salt truck.