When Pittman bid this job, among the factors the company had to consider: hiring local workers; understanding that more time will be required because people, vehicles and trains will be moving around the site; knowing that much of the work will take place on evenings and weekends; finding secure locations to store equipment and dealing with safety issues.
“The day we got the contract, we did not have the people or equipment to handle the work,” says Koenig. “Training from the MTA and our experience in setting up out-of-town projects allowed us to get up to speed fairly quickly. Once we get some experience in this type of work, we want to branch out to other rail systems and grow our business.”
In the case of Vermeer® equipment — the company owns a dozen
chippers (nine BC1000XLs, two BC1800XLs and a BC1500) and a stump cutter (SC60TX) — strategically located dealers with skilled mechanics are very important, says Koenig. “We know that if we call a Vermeer dealer to fix a machine, it will get done right.”
NEW OPPORTUNITY IN LIGHT RAIL The newest example of Pittman Tree working farther from the home office is a five-year contract with the Maryland Transportation Authority (MTA) to help maintain 36 miles (57.9 km) of the Baltimore light rail system. The company will remove sight obstacles around intersections, trim trees hanging over the power lines and take down trees that could fall on tracks. For this project the company purchased a BC1500.
“Our customers expect us to show up with good, reliable equipment,” says Koenig. “That helps us get work. The MTA is counting on us to have the machines and people necessary to handle this high-visibility project. Communication will be critical because a train will be coming down the track every 15 minutes. Included in our seven-person crew will be newly-hired on-site coordinators and flagmen.”
Pittman Tree started in 1993 with a pair of electric cooperatives — Barc and Rappahonnock — and the Virginia Department of Transportation Edinburg location. Along with these initial customers, the company has added dozens of other firms and government agencies, handling right-of-way work that includes electric transmission line, three-phase distribution, phone, gas, cable and fiber optic. Services offered include clearing, widening, heavy-duty brush mowing, side trimming, selective pruning, hazardous tree removal, specialized herbicide application programs for total vegetation control and several line clearance maintenance services.
Pittman Tree shares insight into this business model.
“Our customers expect us to show up with good, reliable equipment,” says Koenig. “That helps us get work. The MTA is counting on us to have the machines and people necessary to handle this high-visibility project.”
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