Winter Maintenance Vehicles

Company Multihog Ltd.
Date 15.03.2011

Transroute Tunnel Operations has taken delivery of a Multihog MH90 multi-purpose implement carrier which has enabled the toll plaza at the entrance to the Dublin Port Tunnel to be kept free of snow and ice and safely gritted during the recent spell of exceptionally harsh winter weather. 
Transroute is responsible for managing all processes associated with the operation and maintenance of the tunnel, and was asked to operate a Multihog fitted out with winter equipment on behalf of the Administrative Authority. From the outset the Multihog proved to be absolutely indispensable, allowing the tunnel to remain operational during one of the worst spells of weather ever experienced in the region.  
“We previously used external resources for snow clearing, and we could not always rely on these vehicles being where they were needed at any given time due to contractors’ other commitments or adverse weather and road conditions,” says Transroute’s Chief Operating Officer Alex Young. “The Multihog’s immediate availability and flexibility allowed us to react very quickly to prevailing conditions for total control of operations at all times – for example to determine exactly when to lay salt. Without this we would not have been able to keep the tunnel open – the consequences would have meant thousands of HGV’s being diverted through the city in the busy Christmas period, not to mention loss of revenue.” 
Transroute’s Multihog MH90 is fitted with a 2.4m snow plough and a hydraulically operated rear mounted 1m³ salt spreader, which allows the material flow to be adjusted between 5g/m² and 250g/m² depending on road conditions. This was much more effective than the separate ploughing and spreading vehicles that were previously at the company’s disposal. Its compact dimensions also enabled much better access to the relatively small areas around the toll booths. 
The Multihog, developed and manufactured in Dundalk, was designed as an all seasonal vehicle that can be used with an almost limitless amount of attachments for a wide variety of highway maintenance and ground care tasks. The quick release mechanism enables all attachments, even the gritter unit,  to be changed or demounted in a couple of minutes. It is characterised by an extremely robust build, and an impressive towing capacity of 3 tonnes. For driver comfort and safety the spacious cab is fully enclosed and includes air conditioning and heating. It also features an air suspension seat, multi-functional joystick and exceptional 360º visibility which minimises fatigue even over long shifts.   
The Multihog’s versatility has already prompted Alex Young to look into further applications when the weather improves. “We will be are proposing to the Administrative Authority that we get additional attachments on an ongoing basis such as road sweepers and sprayers for cleaning road signs.  My impression when I first saw the Multihog was that it was a machine worth snapping up, and this has proved to be 100% the case.”

Contact

Multihog Ltd.
Brewery Business Park
Ardee Road
Dundalk, Co. Louth
Ireland
  • 00353 (0)42 93 86738