Orange County Department of Public Work's

Orange County Department of Public Work's

1991 International S2674

Number of plow trucks in DPW fleet: 30

Weight: 59,180 lbs.

Color: County Orange

What is under the hood?

Cummings LTA10

How much salt/sand do they hold? 24,000 lbs.

How many miles can they go before refilling? 14.1

How many miles per gallon? 6.5

Do two people have to go in each truck? No. Some do one-man, some do two-man operations.

There is a science behind plowing and salting. Most transportation departments will spread salt or a mixture of sand and salt (depending upon field/road conditions) at the initial onset of a storm to create a "brine" on pavement surfaces.

Salt works by lowering the freezing point of water, slowing the ability for snow to turn to ice once it hits the salted road surface. It also breaks the bond that ice has to the road surface, making it easier for snowplows to remove the snow and ice.

Charles W. Lee, Commissioner of Orange County Public Works, contributed to this story.