Case Study: Custom Hardware for Snowplow Visibility
Custom Solutions
Tivitri’s custom solutions fill the operational gaps that off-the-shelf fleet tools can’t address. We design and deliver purpose-built fixes—whether software, hardware, reporting, or full workflow redesign—that solve unique problems standing in the way of efficiency, compliance, or visibility. From stabilizing noisy sensor data to engineering specialized integrations or building tools that automate tasks no platform supports, our team creates tailored, end-to-end solutions that improve accuracy, streamline operations, and unlock capabilities your systems were never built to handle.
The Challenge
A county in Utah operates a fleet of snowplows to ensure safe winter driving conditions. Their fleet consists of two types of plow systems: an older, lever-based system with mercury tubes that indicate plow engagement and a newer system manufactured by Force America. While integrating the newer plows into their Samsara dashboard was straightforward, the mercury-based systems presented a significant challenge. The mercury tubes lacked direct compatibility with Samsara (or any telematics platform), preventing the county from obtaining real-time data on whether these plows were engaged or disengaged.
This lack of visibility created inefficiencies in fleet management and made it difficult to ensure optimal snow plow operation during critical winter storms.
The Solution
To solve this challenge, we developed a custom circuit board specifically designed to work with the older, mercury-based plows. The circuit board connects to the mercury tube and processes its readings to account for sharp movements caused by bumpy roads. These sharp fluctuations were smoothed out through precise engineering, ensuring reliable and accurate data on plow engagement.
By combining this custom hardware solution with Samsara’s telematics system, we were able to provide the county with a unified dashboard that tracked the engagement status of both Force America and mercury-based plows. This seamless integration was achieved without requiring the county to replace or upgrade their older equipment.
The Results
The county gained full visibility into the engagement status of their entire fleet of snow plows, regardless of the system type. This improved their ability to monitor and manage plow operations in real time, ensuring roads are cleared efficiently and effectively during winter storms.
The custom circuit board enabled accurate mercury tube readings, transforming a previously incompatible system into a fully integrated solution. This not only saved the county money by avoiding costly equipment upgrades but also enhanced operational efficiency and safety for residents and drivers.
More Success Stories
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I've learned that I can just go to Tivitri with any of our fleet's problems and they'll get it solved. Their team is thorough, knowledgeable, and fair. Their hardware is top-tier but their custom solutions have also revolutionized how we operate.