Jean-Luc Busset is the owner of BUSSET Transports SA, a family business founded over 60 years ago, which provides various services for local authorities and private individuals in the region. The snow removal of the local roads and the pass road has already been the responsibility of the company for many years. This makes him proud and rich in experience, as a glance at Jean-Luc Busset's photo albums suggests. But he is also proud of his latest investment, a self-propelled Schmidt Supra 4002 painted all in black.
Its service contract states that the pass, the local roads and the entire Glacier 3000 parking lot must be cleared from 6 a.m. onwards. Because not only ski and vacation guests want snow-free access to the sporting pleasure, but it is also important to provide timely access for the employees and suppliers of the mountain railroads. The small hamlet of Vers-l'Eglise lies just below the valley station at the top of the pass, and this is where the bottleneck has to be cleared when the snow falls. Equipped with a feed auger, the Schmidt Supra 4002 from BUSSET Transports SA now clears the area. The feed auger operates at an adjustable speed of 0-250 rpm. Flexible alignment of 0°-120° degrees allows the distance between the carrier vehicle and the snow wall to be increased and the latter to be inclined so that the snow wall does not fall onto the road in thawing weather. Another advantage is the increase in the clearing height of the cutter unit when the feed auger is aligned horizontally.The toothed cutter spiral ensures effective removal of icy snow.
On the road, the Supra has a different job. After the snow plows have cleared the roads, the Supra is used to clear the snow banks on the sides of the roads - and usually early at 4:30 am. "The cab of the Supra is something very special. The good visibility from the height-adjustable cab is very pleasant for us and gives us more confidence in our work. Many comfort functions such as cruise control, ABS or ECO mode are very helpful. Especially in the current season we drove a lot in ECO mode, because with little snow the ECO mode can save up to 20% fuel," says Jean-Luc Busset. Busset is convinced by the technology and the comfort. But also important to him is the dealer, who supported him both before the purchase and now in operational use. Yan and Pascal Florey from Florey GmbH in Salgesch are very familiar with the needs of the family business on the Col du Pillon. At the end of the conversation, Jean-Luc and Pascal then agree that while GPS-assisted clearing is an advantage, the highlight with the Supra remains the barely surpassable comfort in the cabin and operation.
