A small sidewalk clearing plow in Ottawa, Canada A snowplow (or snow plow) is a vehicle or device used for removing snow from roadways, driveways, runways, and other surfaces. In many cases, pickup trucks are outfitted with plows to fulfill this purpose, and some regions that do not frequently see snow may use graders and other equipment to fulfill this task. However, it is common for areas that regularly receive large amounts of snow every year to use specially-designed dump trucks whose primary purpose is to move snow and otherwise improve roadway conditions in cold weather. Modern plows may include a great deal of technology to make the job—and staying on the road—easier, such as Global Positioning System receivers, heads-up displays, and infrared cameras.
In most cases, these vehicles have plows that are mounted on hydraulically-actuated arms, allowing them to be raised, lowered, and angled to better move snow. The dump truck portion of purpose-designed plows allows them to carry large amounts of salt, sand, and other chemicals that can be dispensed via a rear-mounted impeller to de-ice roadways. Additionally, front-end loaders can be used to remove snow, dropping it into the rear compartment of a snowplow, which then hauls it away.
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