Buying Big Toys: A Casual Guide to Getting Equipment the Right Way

Let’s be honest – one of the best parts of working in a highway department is the equipment. New trucks. Bigger plows. Shiny new mowers. Who wouldn’t want to bring home some new toys for the crew? But here’s the thing: before you go adding that $250,000 grader to your wish li…continue

Call Before You Catastrophe: Why Digging Without a Locate Is a Terrible Idea

Let’s paint a picture: it’s a sunny Tuesday, your crew’s out on the shoulder with the backhoe, ready to dig. You’re swapping jokes, maybe arguing about where to get lunch, and then BOOM. You just turned a quiet ditch project into a fireworks show by hitting a gas line. Congra…continue

The Heavy Equipment Every Small Highway Department Should Have

Running a small highway department? You don’t need a million-dollar fleet, but you do need the right tools to keep your roads safe and your crew productive. The good news is, with a solid core set of equipment, even the smallest towns can punch well above their weight when it comes to road mai…continue

Using Inter-Municipal Agreements to Stretch Your Equipment Budget

Let’s be honest. Highway departments aren’t exactly swimming in cash. Budgets are ALWAYS tight, equipment is expensive, and the wish list always seems longer than the purchase list. But here’s a smart move more and more towns are using: inter-municipal agreements (IMAs). In plain t…continue