As soon as there's a couple of inches of snow on the ground, David Fischer is on the move in his plow truck.
His 37 clients, who want their lots and driveways cleared of snow pronto, include all the Super Americas and Taco Johns in Duluth.
"They want snow moved every 2 inches, so if there's a 10-inch snowfall, I've probably plowed one particular lot three or four times," he said. "It's a safety issue. In big snowstorms, it's important for people to be able to get to the stores."
That hasn't been a problem this year.
Entering the weekend with only 11.8 inches of snow this season, there's been little snow to remove, even with the few inches that were expected today. Moreover, the National Weather Service is predicting below-normal snow this season. Fischer and his son have been out plowing only twice. And, like most plow drivers, they charge per plowing, ranging from $20 for a small lot to $100 for a large one.
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While cities like Duluth save money when they don't have to send out snow plows and sand trucks and pay workers overtime, a dearth of snow means lost income for private snow plow operators.
With snow removal his primary job, Fischer says business is hurting with less than half the normal season-to-date total of 26.2 inches.
In the meantime, they wait.
"The thing about snow removal, I have to be available 24/7 from Nov. 1 to April 1," he said. "I don't really go anywhere. I'm on call. I'm ready no matter what happens."
And, he noted, a lot can change quickly.
Jeffrey Quast of Rice Lake Township, who removes snow to supplement his summer landscape business, also has only been out plowing twice.
"Basically, my snow removal is to break even in the winter," Quast said. "A lot of landscapers do it because they have the equipment."
With five businesses and 20 residences to plow, he has a list of people he can call for help if he needs it.
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Like Quast, Fischer is taking the slow start in stride.
"We're really only three weeks into the snow season," said Fischer, who sees Thanksgiving as the season's real start because snowfall before Thanksgiving tends to melt quickly.
His records going back 15 years show big snow months and months with little snowfall, but Mother Nature evens itself out, he says, noting the city's average annual snowfall of 80 inches.
"There's always one month out of the season where we get dumped on and it just gets crazy," he said. The last two years, it happened in December when about 35 to 37 inches of snow fell. Compare that with the 7 inches of snow that had fallen this month as of Friday.
"If we don't get snow this time of year, we'll get it later," said Greg Kunst of Lakewood Township, who has a snow removal business.
In the summer he does excavating. In the winter he plows snow for about 35 businesses, schools, churches and residents with his seven plow trucks and seven drivers.
"This is a side business," he said. "We can survive without any plowing."
Still, the loss of income from this winter sideline is being felt. A good winter can bring in $50,000 to $60,000 from plowing to his business.
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"I don't see that happening this year," said Kunst, who typically charges residents $45 per plowing and large lots at $65 per hour.
Four inches of snow must fall to send his plows out for residential jobs and 2 inches for businesses.
The economic downturn has had an impact. He has lost about 10 customers this year to others who are working more cheaply.
"A lot of guys are making extra money for their families, plowing snow for the winter," Fischer said. "Most have five or six parking lots they take care of."
There are a lot of them out there.
"If it's snowing at 3 a.m., we pass each other going from one plow job to another," Fischer said. "It's a big industry. Almost every business has someone doing it."
