First Snow Storm in Two Years Tests New ‘Bladerunner’ Plow System

By Y. S. Gold

Monday night’s snowstorm was the first snowfall of more than one inch in 700 consecutive days, and Brooklyn residents awoke to the sight of their neighborhood blanketed in white. 

The storm was also an occasion for the DSNY to test their new Bladerunner system for plowing the neighborhood streets in an efficient manner. 

“Our snow operation is higher-tech than ever, and this storm is a great test of the new Bladerunner 2.0 system for tracking spreaders and plows, said a Tweet from the DSNY.

"With forecasters predicting a snowy winter, we're revolutionizing how we track our snow operations and using new technology to keep New Yorkers safe," says Mayor Adams. "We've never been more ready for snow season, thanks to our new Bladerunner 2.0 software that will allow us to better track and support our fleet of approximately 5,000 vehicles across all five boroughs. And we're doing this in a way that is fair and equitable, so that there is no longer a system of first-, second-, and third-tier streets with different communities receiving different levels of service. Now, every street in all five boroughs is on a plow and salt route. And to help support our efforts, the best thing New Yorkers can do to help us get the roads clear when there is a storm is to stay off them - use mass transit if you must travel, so our plows, salters, and briners, now powered by Bladerunner 2.0, can do their jobs. We're ready, New York."