Weather and Population Spikes Bring Uncertainty to Bozeman

WEATHER and POPULATION SPIKES BRING UNCERTAINTY TO BOZEMAN

Bozeman Site Services must contend with two primary weather challenges: the mountains and the cold. Snowfall can be very erratic, depending on the location. Since Bozeman is surrounded by mountains, the east and south sides of town can get several inches more than the north or west side.

“There are differences in the little pockets and where the storms fall, so there is great variance inWeather and Population Spikessnow depths,” BSS owner Doug Duschene says. “Every storm we have a loop the team drives and that impacts how we deploy resources. It can be tricky.”

Because Bozeman is on the Rocky Mountain front. the temperature swings are wild, which can make it difficult on the team and the equipment. It can snow 3·6 inches and then drop to -20°F right behind it. Duschene says. “We shut down service at -15°F; it’s a smart safety move.”

Changing attitudes

While the weather may be fickle, one thing BSS could always count on was calm in the storm. Montanans are used to snow. and they know how to navigate it safely and have realistic service expectations. But as more “city folk” flock to Bozeman (it’s one of the fastest growing cities in the United States), those expectations are in jeopardy.

It wasn’t that long ago that there were no speed limits in Montana and Bozeman was a farm town built around an agricultural university (Montana State). That’s beginning to change, and not necessarily for the better.

“The mass influx of people from southern states is bringing more customers. which is great: but we’re seeing increasing tension between realism and expectations as people become less tolerant of snow,” Duschene says.

“They are bringing an expectation that there are 6 inches of snow on the ground and they’re going to starve. But the approach we take of clearly communicating where we are and how we’re doing reassures our clients and makes for a better attitude toward snow. So regardless of the weather and population spikes BSS is equipped and ready to handle and provide excellence in service.

www.sima.org/snowbusiness // DECEMBER 2020 // SNOW BUSINESS

 

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