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Insights from previous snow seasons and adjustments to snow plowing routes

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DSNY Acting Commissioner Javier Lojan discusses the department's process for reviewing and improving snow removal operations based on insights from previous seasons. He emphasizes the year-round nature of snow preparation and the use of data analysis tools.

DSNY conducts after-action debriefs following each storm and a full post-season review
Blade Runner 2.0, a GPS-based system, is used to assess storm response and make adjustments
Recent changes include adjustments to staff scheduling, which proved successful in a recent storm
Route adjustments are made continuously to account for street changes and new bike lanes

Shaun Abreu

0:10:07

Alright.

0:10:08

I'm gonna now pivot to questions, and I wanna acknowledge, council members who have joined us now.

0:10:13

We have Sandra Ong and Sandy Nurse.

0:10:17

Commissioner, what were the insights that were gained from 2023, 2024 from the 2023, 2024 season that were used to inform adjustments to DSNY's 2025 snow plowing routes.

Javier Lojan

0:10:30

So after every storm, we do an after action debrief, some more in-depth than others.

0:10:37

As I mentioned, Blade Runner 2.0 plays an integral part in our operations.

0:10:41

The great thing about that is that we're able to assess every storm with historical GPS data.

0:10:48

Our operations and our operations management division team do a great job of highlighting some of the positives and negatives.

0:10:56

So we generally always do a full post season debrief, what were the good things, what were the bad things, and we always make adjustments going to the next season.

0:11:06

Our snow season is year round.

0:11:09

So as soon as our nightfall season ends in March, when we start April, we start looking at routing adjustments.

0:11:17

Some of them are due to being more efficient.

0:11:21

Some of them are just, you know, street changes because DOT changes, street direction, or a new bike lane came on board.

0:11:28

So we're always working.

0:11:30

As soon as snow stops, season stops, we start right away.

0:11:33

We don't stop, and it goes all the way through.

0:11:35

So that's that's what we do.

Shaun Abreu

0:11:37

Is thank you for that.

0:11:38

Is there anything specific from last year that you know, any insights from last year, from 2023, 2024 that's being used to inform your plan for this year?

0:11:48

Any examples?

Javier Lojan

0:11:50

A lot a lot of the things are just more we we we're looking at things at, you know, timing of the storm, which we actually tried this time around, is trying to make some scheduling adjustments, with our shifts.

0:12:02

Right?

0:12:03

So we go into a split shift operation.

0:12:05

This storm that we just had over the weekend, we we changed the way we staff.

0:12:09

So that was and it it seemed to be really successful, and it was really more efficient.

0:12:14

So that was one of the things that we tried this year that was different and so far proved to be, wow.

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Metrics for estimating supplies and stockpiles for winter season