toledoblade.com --

It's been a cold, snowy, tiring winter thus far for Herbie Betz and it's not even mid-January. But as a private snow-plow driver, it's hard for him to argue with the payoff.

"I've made more money already this year than I made all of last year," said Mr. Betz, of Toledo, who uses his plow-equipped truck to clear snow from his own properties and a small list of customers.

"This is going to be an above-average year. I've picked up work in the neighborhoods and even though most people want you to plow if we get 1 to 2 inches, there are certain customers who want you to plow no matter what falls," he said.

He charges $30 or more for a residential driveway, and $40 to $50 for an apartment complex parking lot.

And thanks to a wintry season that, since December, has brought small but consistent levels of snow each week, area snow removal contractors have been out and about nearly every few days.

So far this month, the Toledo area had 13.2 inches of snow. December registered 7 inches of snow, and November got 2.4 inches of snow.

When almost 11 inches fell this weekend, most snow plowers worked long days.

"The last big snowfall, we went for 36 hours from place to place," said Mike Feck, who operates Mike's Plowing Service of Ida, Mich.

"We're doing a lot more business than last year. We keep getting hit by these bigger snowfalls. It's been fine, but there's been some long days and nights," he said.

Jason Lashley of Pro Lawncare Inc. said he too plowed for 36 hours during the weekend, and already is ahead of his total 2008 snow-removal revenues.

"Part of it is I have picked up a few more accounts," he said. But a big reason is the consistent snowfall, he added. He charges $25 or more for a driveway, $100 for small parking lot.

"I do commercial businesses, and some of them have you scrape down to wet pavement - post offices, doctors offices, and such," he said. "They cannot afford to have any snow, so even if there's an inch, I have to scrape it and salt it.

Not everyone hires snow-removal contractors. Many are opting to buy snow throwers.

John Kowalski, manager of The Andersons general store on Talmadge Road, said sales were good this past weekend.

"We have seen some good purchasing, probably a little more than last year," he said.

Dave Schaub, a clerk at All Sport South End Mower, in Toledo, said sales of snow throwers have been good. However, he expected them to be better.

"It may be due to the economy," he said. "I know for sure that our repairs are down. People are not bringing their snow throwers in for routine service like they used to."

Contact Jon Chavez at:
jchavez@theblade.com
or 419-724-6128.

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