Equipment Services

Clearing culverts with a remotely-controlled skid steer

Clearing culverts with a remotely-controlled skid steer

Clearing culverts with a remotely-controlled skid steer

Clearing culverts with a remotely-controlled skid steer

By David Woodfill / ADOT Communications
March 12, 2024
A remotely-controlled skid steer is parked in an equipment garage.

This funny looking machine may look like a droid from Star Wars, but it’s actually a remotely operated skid steer. 

And while its appearance may evoke visions of a galaxy far, far away, it has a very practical and valuable use here on Earth. ADOT’s skid steers are used mainly for cleaning out overgrowth, mud, and trash underneath bridges.

Gone are the days of cleaning such spaces with hand tools, said Jerry Turner, an ADOT Highways Operations Technician Supervisor.

“This machine can do in one day what would take a team of employees to do in a week,” Turner said. 

So what’s the difference between a remote skid steer and a regular skid steer? For one thing, the remotely controlled skid steer moves around on tracks like a tank rather than wheels. That’s helpful when working in muddy conditions. 

The remote skid steer is also smaller than a regular skid steer with a seated driver, so it can fit into tight enclosures such as under a bridge and inside drainage culverts.

Finally, by removing the operator from the equation, it increases safety. Crawling under bridges and into drainage culverts can pose health hazards and dangers such as snakes and sewer gasses that can make people sick. 

ADOT has two remote skid steers at its disposal amd they get a lot of use in various locations around the state. 

Turner was out with a maintenance crew one cold January morning clearing culverts along State Route 87 just north of Mesa.

The machine darted in and out from underneath a bridge, each time carrying a load of muck consisting of trash, mud and vegetation that had clogged it up and prevented water from flowing.

An operator controlled the machine from about 25 feet away up the embankment using a control deck with buttons and joysticks. 

In each pass under the bridge, the skid steer came away with enough debris in its scoop to fill a large bathtub. 

Turner was confident his crew would have the job done within the afternoon, as opposed to several days, which is how long it would take with shovels. 

“This has been a game changer,” Turner said. “This saves a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on additional manpower.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Arizona DOT (@arizona_dot)

ADOT's Holbrook shop earns environmental award

ADOT's Holbrook shop earns environmental award

ADOT's Holbrook shop earns environmental award

ADOT's Holbrook shop earns environmental award

By Lori Baker / ADOT Communications
July 13, 2020

ADOT’s Equipment Services shop in Holbrook received the Environmental Green Shop Award for going above and beyond in providing excellent customer service and environmentally friendly practices. 

Holbrook ranked top among 14 major shops that were evaluated based on best-management practices for reducing waste, improving sustainability, making sure employees handle hazardous materials safely and exceeding national environmental compliance standards. 

“Holbrook was recognized for resealing its shop’s floor and filling in cracks. If anything spills or leaks from a vehicle, it won’t get into a crack to contaminate the soil or filter into our groundwater,” Equipment Services Fuels Manager Scott Chandler said.

He said Holbrook also was honored for its customer safety center that includes steel toe protectors. In addition, the shop was lauded for having the best organization of its hoses and parts room storage area, battery storage area, attention signs and containment area. 

Holbrook Equipment Shop Supervisor Pamela Marchant is proud of the working environment that her team has created and maintained. 

“Every member of the team has relayed how very honored and proud they are. Being recognized for all their hard work and dedication was a very humbling and rewarding experience,” she added. More than 40 state government agencies contract with ADOT Equipment Services to perform preventive maintenance and major repairs on fleet vehicles statewide.

ADOT helps bring magic to children at Touch a Truck event

ADOT helps bring magic to children at Touch a Truck event

ADOT helps bring magic to children at Touch a Truck event

ADOT helps bring magic to children at Touch a Truck event

By Laurie Merrill / ADOT Communications
February 13, 2020

Getting a chance to touch big a snowplow, front-end loader and hydrovac truck probably won’t make the top of most adults' bucket lists. But there’s a kind of magic that happens between small children and big trucks.

That's why it was a special thrill for dozens of children who had the chance to get near heavy vehicles, including three from the Arizona Department of Transportation, during a recent “Touch a Truck” fundraiser in Phoenix.

Youngsters climbed into the drivers' seats and signed their names on ADOT’s front-end loader and snowplow.

Members of ADOT Phoenix Maintenance and the Central District Hydrovac Unit volunteered for the event to help educate people about how the state-of-the-art trucks serve the public.

Touch a Truck raises funds for children with spina bifida – a birth defect that affects the spinal cord – to attend Camp Patrick in Payson, which has extensively trained medical staff.

The department has participated in all three Camp Patrick annual fundraisers. Tommy and Katie Reeve founded the camp after realizing the need for one. Their third son son, Patrick, has spina bifida, and the camp is named for him.  

"ADOT is one of our biggest supporters,” said Tommy Reeve, a Phoenix firefighter. “They bring trucks that the kids think are really cool. ADOT helps us put on the event and 100 percent of the money goes to the camp."

Youngsters with spina bifida, many in wheelchairs, joined others who donned ADOT hard hats in yellow, pink and blue, grabbed chalk and excitedly wrote their names on the blade of ADOT’s snowplow and the front-end loader shovel.

“There were little hard hats running all over the place,” said Michael Culp, hydrovac operation supervisor. “We actually helped the children out of their wheelchairs and lifted them up so they could sit in the seats, honk the horn and play with buttons.”

Culp was joined by Phoenix Maintenance Supervisor Jim Durlin and other ADOT members who talked to community members about the state-of-the art vehicles.

They explained, for example, how the hydrovac truck keeps drains clean and highways clear of water when it rains and how snowplows make roads safer after storms.

“This event brought smiles to the children of the community and perhaps some future ADOT employees,” Culp said. “It helps us put ADOT’s name out there as an agency that likes to give back to the community and to reinforce what we do on the roadways to keep them safe.

“This is a once in a lifetime event for these children that they wouldn’t have without events like this.”

Awards program honors ADOT shops for sustainability

Awards program honors ADOT shops for sustainability

Awards program honors ADOT shops for sustainability

Awards program honors ADOT shops for sustainability

May 16, 2016

By Angela DeWelles / ADOT Communications

It’s not always easy being green … but ADOT workers strive to reduce waste and improve the environment.

ADOT's Green Shop program was started to promote and reward ADOT Equipment Services shops that minimize waste and reduce impacts to the environment. To be recognized with an Environmental Green Shop award, ADOT equipment service shops must implement and comply with more than 150 different best management practices all aimed at promoting environmentally friendly operational practices that reduce waste and improve sustainability.

It is a huge accomplishment to win the Green Shop award,” says Nathan Carroll, ADOT’s Fuel, Scales, Environmental and Training Manager.

This year, ADOT equipment service shops in Tucson and Springerville earned the honor (two awards are given every other year – one to a full-service shop and one to a smaller, satellite location).

2016-0511-green-shop-award-2

The competition for the top shops was intense. According to Carroll, just half a point separated Tucson from the three shops that tied for second place.

Tucson and Springerville both employed a number of improvements that demonstrate efforts that are “above and beyond” standard best practices, says ADOT Environmental Engineering Specialist Robert Trapani.

Trapani, who played a big role in the development of the Green Shop award program, evaluates and works with each of ADOT’s 23 equipment services shops throughout the two-year cycle. His process includes three site visits where shops are graded on their compliance with ADOT’s best-practices manual and for implementing environmental methods.

He said it was a range of efforts, from simple housekeeping to more involved things like the conversion to LED lighting, self-audits, improved quality control measures and increased recycling, which led to this year’s wins for Tucson and Springerville. Tucson Shop Foreman Harry Edwards explained that even small changes can have big impacts. For example, the relocation of a tire machine from the north side of the shop to a more centralized location closer to tire repair tools saved an average of 10 minutes per tire change and 174 steps for the techs, Edwards said. That totals about $3,000 in savings each year. Edwards also stressed that every shop employee had a part in the improvements.

Equipment Parts Supervisor Kevin Potts agreed.

“All the techs stepped up on this,” he said. “Everybody jumped on board.”

Administrative Services Division Director Sonya Herrera, who was on hand for the award presentation in Tucson on April 8 (Springerville will be awarded later this month), said many of the improvements made are in line with the agency’s Continuous Improvement efforts.

“You guys are absolutely right on target,” she said. “I commend your efforts and am very impressed at what you’ve done.”

This isn't the first time we've covered the The Green Shop Program on the blog. The program actually began 10 years ago.

Quick action and teamwork clears flood debris from US 89 in Page

Quick action and teamwork clears flood debris from US 89 in Page

Quick action and teamwork clears flood debris from US 89 in Page

Quick action and teamwork clears flood debris from US 89 in Page

June 8, 2015

ADOT's Equipment Services crew got traffic moving after mud and rocks blocked the roadway near Glen Canyon Dam.

By Doug Pacey
ADOT Office of Public Information

Something didn’t seem right to Thelma Begay.

Peering south toward the Glen Canyon Bridge from the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Equipment Services shop as a thunderstorm pummeled Page Friday afternoon, the account technician saw a line of traffic in both directions stopped on the bridge. She called over Shop Supervisor Scott Kennedy to take a look.

Kennedy, a 23-year resident of Page, knew something was wrong.

“Cars stopping on the bridge like that never happens, so I told her let’s drive down and see what’s going on,” Kennedy said. “Best case, it’s nothing. Worst case, we’ll see what we can do to help.”

That decision sent Page’s Equipment Services shop on a wet and muddy adventure that saved motorists from potential headaches and kept weekend getaway plans on schedule.

Kennedy and Begay hopped in one truck, while Equipment Repair Lead Technician Dustin Allen and Equipment Repair Technician Elias Tsinigine rode in another. When the two trucks made the three-quarter-mile jaunt down the hill on US 89 to the bridge, they encountered a river of mud and bowling ball-size rocks flowing across the highway at the entrance to the Glen Canyon Dam Visitor Center. Traffic heading in both directions was stop and go, and a Department of Public Safety officer was in the middle of the mudflow, directing vehicles.

Kennedy spoke to the officer and asked if ADOT had been notified. The officer said he had called in the incident, but ADOT’s Page Maintenance crews had not yet arrived to begin clearing the highway or take over traffic control.

“I told him we’d get the ball rolling,” Kennedy said.

He quickly learned that Page Maintenance crews were responding, but they were coming from the other side of the bridge and were stuck in the backup they’d been called on to clear. At ADOT, maintenance crews respond to traffic incidents for a variety of reasons, including when roadways need to be cleared of debris, when immediate roadway repairs are necessary and when DPS requests traffic control. Equipment Services is responsible for maintaining ADOT’s fleet of vehicles and its workers are rarely asked to report to an incident scene.

“The shops know when to look out for one another,” said Devin Darlek, equipment services administrator. “There have been many instances where the maintenance crews help out our shop personnel. To see it live, it’s like watching a great team playing on the field.”

By now, it was close to 1 p.m. and Kennedy knew something had to be done quickly.

“It’s a Friday afternoon,” he explained. “Everyone is coming to Lake Powell, people are towing boats, motorhomes are out there, lots of foreign tourists. It was going to be a mess.”

To Kennedy, the only option was for Equipment Services, which maintains and repairs ADOT vehicles, to step out of its comfort zone and clear US 89. On the foursome’s mind was the recent 25-month closure of US 89 south of Page because of a massive landslide.

“All four of us are cognizant of what it means to have the major route in or out of town cut off,” said Kennedy. “This was smaller, but we were definitely thinking about that.”

So, Kennedy directed Allen to drive a front-loader to the scene and clear large debris, while he and Tsinigine helped direct traffic to ensure Allen had enough space to operate. Begay stayed in a truck because the crew did not have enough orange safety vests for all to be working on the highway. The cleanup effort took about 20 minutes and traffic began flowing at a steady pace in both directions almost immediately.

“Dusty got the majority of the debris cleared,” Kennedy said. “It quit raining hard and that slowed the debris flow. Maintenance showed up and thanked us and they took over doing the dirty work of cleaning up all the muck.”

By 3:20 p.m., the highway had fully reopened, providing travelers easy passage to Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and points beyond.

Kennedy praised his co-workers for reacting quickly to a situation that called for action beyond their job descriptions, calling it a “whole team effort.”

“It was just common sense,” Kennedy said. “Felt to me like the right thing to do.”

Quick Action and Teamwork Clears Flood Debris from US 89 in Page

Quick Action and Teamwork Clears Flood Debris from US 89 in Page

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Quick Action and Teamwork Clears Flood Debris from US 89 in Page

Quick Action and Teamwork Clears Flood Debris from US 89 in Page

June 8, 2015

PAGE – Something didn’t seem right to Thelma Begay.

Peering south toward the Glen Canyon Bridge from the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Equipment Services shop as a thunderstorm pummeled Page Friday afternoon, the account technician saw a line of traffic in both directions stopped on the bridge. She called over Shop Supervisor Scott Kennedy to take a look.

Kennedy, a 23-year resident of Page, knew something was wrong.

“Cars stopping on the bridge like that never happens, so I told her let’s drive down and see what’s going on,” Kennedy said. “Best case, it’s nothing. Worst case, we’ll see what we can do to help.”

That decision sent Page’s Equipment Services shop on a wet and muddy adventure that saved motorists from potential headaches and kept weekend getaway plans on schedule.

Kennedy and Begay hopped in one truck, while Equipment Repair Lead Technician Dustin Allen and Equipment Repair Technician Elias Tsinigine rode in another. When the two trucks made the three-quarter-mile jaunt down the hill on US 89 to the bridge, they encountered a river of mud and bowling ball-size rocks flowing across the highway at the entrance to the Glen Canyon Dam Visitor Center. Traffic heading in both directions was stop and go, and a Department of Public Safety officer was in the middle of the mudflow, directing vehicles.

Kennedy spoke to the officer and asked if ADOT had been notified. The officer said he had called in the incident, but ADOT’s Page Maintenance crews had not yet arrived to begin clearing the highway or take over traffic control.

“I told him we’d get the ball rolling,” Kennedy said.

He quickly learned that Page Maintenance crews were responding, but they were coming from the other side of the bridge and were stuck in the backup they’d been called on to clear. At ADOT, maintenance crews respond to traffic incidents for a variety of reasons, including when roadways need to be cleared of debris, when immediate roadway repairs are necessary and when DPS requests traffic control. Equipment Services is responsible for maintaining ADOT’s fleet of vehicles and its workers are rarely asked to report to an incident scene.

“The shops know when to look out for one another,” said Devin Darlek, equipment services administrator. “There have been many instances where the maintenance crews help out our shop personnel. To see it live, it’s like watching a great team playing on the field.”

By now, it was close to 1 p.m. and Kennedy knew something had to be done quickly.

“It’s a Friday afternoon,” he explained. “Everyone is coming to Lake Powell, people are towing boats, motorhomes are out there, lots of foreign tourists. It was going to be a mess.”

To Kennedy, the only option was for Equipment Services, which maintains and repairs ADOT vehicles, to step out of its comfort zone and clear US 89. On the foursome’s mind was the recent 25-month closure of US 89 south of Page because of a massive landslide.

“All four of us are cognizant of what it means to have the major route in or out of town cut off,” said Kennedy. “This was smaller, but we were definitely thinking about that.”

So, Kennedy directed Allen to drive a front-loader to the scene and clear large debris, while he and Tsinigine helped direct traffic to ensure Allen had enough space to operate. Begay stayed in a truck because the crew did not have enough orange safety vests for all to be working on the highway. The cleanup effort took about 20 minutes and traffic began flowing at a steady pace in both directions almost immediately.

“Dusty got the majority of the debris cleared,” Kennedy said. “It quit raining hard and that slowed the debris flow. Maintenance showed up and thanked us and they took over doing the dirty work of cleaning up all the muck.”

By 3:20 p.m., the highway had fully reopened, providing travelers easy passage to Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and points beyond.

Kennedy praised his co-workers for reacting quickly to a situation that called for action beyond their job descriptions, calling it a “whole team effort.”

“It was just common sense,” Kennedy said. “Felt to me like the right thing to do.”

ADOT holds annual auction to sell vehicles, other equipment on April 6 in Phoenix

ADOT holds annual auction to sell vehicles, other equipment on April 6 in Phoenix

ADOT holds annual auction to sell vehicles, other equipment on April 6 in Phoenix

ADOT holds annual auction to sell vehicles, other equipment on April 6 in Phoenix

April 3, 2013

An assortment of used snowplows are up for auction.

Looking for a used car? Or, maybe you’re in the market for a pickup truck? How about an old snowplow – got any room in your garage for one of those?

If so, you might want to head over to ADOT’s annual spring auction on April 6 at the ADOT Equipment Services yard, 2350 S. 22nd Ave., Phoenix 85009. Gates open at 6 a.m. and bidding starts promptly at 8 a.m.

ADOT will auction vehicles, including 31 sedans, 86 pickups and 10 snowplows, as well as other surplus equipment that has been replaced or used beyond its life cycle with the agency – think front-end loaders, dump trucks, air compressors, message boards and even a few attenuators.

Potential bidders can visit the auction yard before the auction to inspect the available vehicles and other items. The pre-auction inspection is open 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. today and tomorrow (April 3-4) at the equipment services yard (2350 S. 22nd Ave. in Phoenix).

2013-0403-auction2

DOT is auctioning vehicles, including 86 pickups and 31 sedans.

To avoid delays and lines, ADOT provides potential bidders with the opportunity to register for the auction ahead of time. Pre-registration hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through tomorrow (April 4) at the equipment services yard. All potential bidders must pre-register in person. Bidders will also be able to register the day of the auction when the gates open.

ADOT encourages those who plan on attending to dress appropriately for the outdoor event. Please wear proper footwear, use sunscreen, wear a hat and bring some drinking water.

The ADOT vehicles and equipment will be sold on an “as-is, where-is” basis. More information about the auction is available on the Equipment Services Web page, under the “auction” tab.