Placer County Public Works Dept. in California trialled a Multihog CX 75 HD on an eight month rental before purchasing the multipurpose tractor along with a snow blower, hydraulic V snow blade and pressure washer in the fall of 2017. Keeping a 3 mile stretch of the Kings Beach area clear of snow in winter is the CX’s primary task, with pressure washing the sidewalks keeping it busy in spring and summer.
Having seen the machine in operation for almost a year, Dan LaPlante, Associate Civil Engineer in Placer’s Public Works Dept. is certain that it’s the right choice for year-round maintenance: “We have a lot of decorative sidewalks in the Kings Beach community and that was a major concern when I looked at new machines. Since the CX is a no-chain vehicle with rubberized tires, our coloured concrete and pavers on the sidewalk aren’t damaged at all during snow clearing. We also have planters and benches which create a lot of narrow areas, and a big advantage is that the CX is articulated and can fit into and around these spaces to clear and clean them.”
Placer’s snowfall can vary year on year, but 2016-2017 was the biggest yet with heavy storms bringing a massive 500 inches. Previously, the County used manually-operated, walk behind blowers to clear snow in Kings Beach, but according to Dan they were less efficient and much slower than the CX, which makes short work of clearing the area in just 1-2 hours. Apart from efficiency, the CX is also a much safer option for the winter operators, who previously used the walk behind blowers on roundabouts and crosswalks – and for Dan, the increased protection is important: “From a health and safety point of view, I’d much rather have our operators enclosed in the Multihog cabin than walking behind a blower, as the risk of accident or injury is vastly reduced. Of course, they’re also happier to work in a warm, dry cabin instead of being out in the elements during a snowstorm.”
In the summer, the CX is fitted with a pressure washer for cleaning the sidewalks, which operates well without damaging any nearby shopfronts or amenities. Placer considered other machines on the market, but in the end opted for the CX 75 thanks to its multifunctionality as well as excellent customer service from the local dealer: “Alpine Smith have been super – they tweaked the machine to suit our operations when required, we’ve had great communication and really fast service”.
“My operators love the Multihog. Even the bigger operators tell me how much more comfortable it is."
"We’re cleaning the streets more efficiently, so that is definitely an environmental benefit for our city."
"The Multihogs were ideal for us. As they’re much lighter than our old machines, we can use them to remove snow from our boardwalks and sidewalks."
"The driving experience absolutely convinced me. I love driving it, the suspension is amazing. To be honest, the comfort level could not be better."
I knew it must be a really good piece of equipment, and my instincts were right - our two machines have been operating flawlessly.
“Since the purchase of our first Multihog in 2019, they have proven to be a valuable asset in our machinery fleet."
"I recognized straight away that a Multihog could serve our city well. We’ve got 8 attachments for it, and it’s taken the place of multiple machines."
"Apart from the environmental benefits, it’s also really, really comfortable to drive and I'm relieved that it has improved our operational safety."
“Our cycle paths are very neat in just one sweep/working passage. This ensures the safety of our residents, especially during autumn and winter."
“From a maintenance standpoint we have far fewer problems and downtime than other similar equipment in our fleet."
“Our MH outperforms our older snow blower by at least 200%. It can handle all types of snow with a greater output and much faster.”
"The suspension really allows an incredibly high level of driver comfort, and we’re amazed by the performance of the PTO hydraulics."
"The Multihog has performed very well on the reliability front compared to other machines. It’s a really solid and extremely strong machine."
"My colleagues are so much happier using this machine. It’s more ergonomic, warm and comfortable for them."
"Our 2 machines can do so many things, and although they’re small and compact, they’re so well built that they do the work of much larger equipment"
"The Multihog puts us at a professional level that’s unmatched by our competition"
"The Multihogs are working really well for us. The operators have found them straightforward to use and we hope to add to our range of attachments."
"The Multihog doesn’t vibrate like our old machine, and it’s so quiet I don’t even need to wear ear protection - no post-shift fatigue anymore!"
DHL at Leipzig-Halle airport operate a fleet of 12 Multihog tractors equipped with combi snow plough & brush attachments, de-icing sprayers and V snow
"It’s one machine that does it all - safely and efficiently. Very comfortable in the cabin too, which makes work more enjoyable for the operator."
"The only way to compare the Multihog to other machines is to compare the comfort of an old vintage car to a brand new car. - there is no comparison"
"At that point the snow is super dense, icy and solid; it’s pretty hard to shift, but it’s no problem for the MX. This tractor is really, really good"
"Our asphalt grinding process is faster and more efficient now, we tested it and we’re definitely covering more feet per hour than before"
"The Multihog is a different animal from anything we’ve ever had – the articulation, rubberised tyres and 4-wheel drive ticks a lot of our boxes."
“We try to improve our operations with each new purchase of equipment & this has certainly been the case with the acquisition of our Multihogs"
X