Case Studies

Village of Algonquin, IL

The village of Algonquin lies northwest of Chicago, and is home to around 30,000 residents. Jason Roth is Crew Leader for the Village’s Street and Rights of Way Division, within the Public Works department, and was the first person in Algonquin to spot the Multihog sweeper at a trade show some years ago. In 2021, the Village took delivery of a Multihog CV sweeper and it’s been in operation for 2 years now. Apart from being used as a sweeper, Algonquin also has a V plow attachment for the winter season. The sweeper’s main purpose, however, is keeping Algonquin’s 25 miles (40 km) of bike paths free of debris and snow.

Although the Multihog sweeper is a relatively new addition to the village’s bike lane maintenance operations, given its multifunctionality, it has actually replaced one of their compact winter vehicles, thanks to its ability to sport a snow plow in the colder season.
Jason recognised that the CV was the vehicle Algonquin needed as soon as he saw it. “We had about 4 demos with different machines, and we felt that the Multihog out-performed the others. The sales guy, Shane Albert, from Brown Equipment Company, had so much knowledge, and was really willing to help answer all of our questions, and allay any concerns we had. After-sales support is very important, and we were impressed with Shane’s helpfulness.”

In the realm of public works, critique from residents is often what drives operations and strategy. For Jason, the Multihog has proven itself in this sense. “Algonquin has received numerous compliments on the bike paths through the town, and it’s nice to get that feedback. Our Multihog also has the onboard pressure washer, and that’s a huge benefit. The amount of time and money we save now on graffiti removal is really quite significant.”

Originally purchased to keep the bike lanes clean, Jason explains that due to other equipment breaking down recently, he decided to fit a snow plow to the sweeper, to clear snow on the paths. It performed very well with snowfall of 11”, and having the heated windscreen was a huge plus for the operator. In fact, Jason was so impressed/convinced by its performance, he has decided to add it to the snow removal equipment list, for use the day after a storm. Aside from being called up for winter ops, the CV is on duty as a sweeper on an 8 hour shift, 3 days per week each summer. As it’s road-legal and reaches a max. speed of 25 mph (40 km/h), the operator can drive it from one location to another, so trailer transport is not needed, making operations much smoother.

Safety for both residents and team members is high on Jason’s list of priorities. “In terms of public safety, having our bike paths clear of debris has prompted a lot of positive feedback from our residents and Village trustees. Now, I don’t need to worry about slip and fall accidents or injuries – having this machine out 3 days a week helps keep our liability costs down too. My operator loves this machine – he thinks it does a great job, with the added bonus that it’s super comfortable. He loves the final finish on the paths after the sweeper has been working on them. Having him in a warm, enclosed cabin means I don’t need to worry about his safety either when he’s doing his job. I can honestly say that this machine is truly worth the money, and for Algonquin, it’s worth its weight in gold with the job it does for our town.”