Case Studies

Incline Village GID

Incline Village lies on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, Nevada, in an area spanning 56 km² (35 sq. miles). Its General Improvement District (IVGID) is a community partner which provides utility and recreational facilities for the 8,500-strong population in the Village. As a popular tourist destination boasting facilities such as ski trails and mountain biking, maintaining the area for both residents and tourists alike is an important task. For Fleet Superintendent Rich Allen, it’s a task which has become a whole lot easier since he took delivery of a Multihog back in September 2018. The MX 120 multi-purpose tractor is fitted with a Pronovost snow blower for winter use. A front-mounted flail mower is used for the summer season, and the Multihog has been used year-round since its arrival.

“We mostly use our Multihog for snow blowing on sites related to the water and sewer system. In summer, it mows ski slopes for us, as well as the off-site water treatment ponds,” explains Rich.

The District traded in an old machine from a competing manufacturer. It was used with a snowblower, and Rich says it had a lot of mechanical problems. The operators were also vocal about its lack of comfort. Rich took this feedback into account when choosing a new machine, as he considers staff happiness an important part of the District’s responsibility: “The area the Multihog operates in is within an 11-mile radius of the Public Works office. It doesn’t sound that far, but if you’re driving an old, bumpy machine all day, it matters. The operators LOVE the driveability and comfort of the Multihog for their longer journeys.”

Other factors which influenced the decision to purchase were the Multihog’s simple design, high level of comfort, and the fact that it is hydrostatically driven. As their previous machine was also multifunctional, the IVGID were keen to maintain that feature in the new addition.

Rich says he has seen 3 major benefits since the Multihog joined the fleet: a drastic improvement in operator comfort, better driveability, and crucially, (for snow removal), increased reliability.

Aside from the mower and snow blower they already use with the MX, Rich says they are planning to get even more out of their Multihog, by adding an easement attachment for the sewer department to use.

From a health and safety perspective, the Multihog has also brought about advantages for the District. “We added a huge rear bumper/grill and extra lights, which help our operators to identify hazards. The MX is also much safer when driving at speed than our previous machine. For our operators, the smooth ride, quiet cab and all-round comfort the Multihog offers is above and beyond what they’ve been used to,” explains Rich.

As Fleet Superintendent, reliability is a huge factor for Rich. His previous machine had a lot of problems, and in that regard, the Multihog has been a breath of fresh air for the whole team. “From a maintenance standpoint we have far fewer problems and downtime than other similar equipment in our fleet and parts and service support from local dealer Alpine Smith Inc. has been outstanding!”

  • Incline Village GID
  • MX

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