Sweeper truck to help clean roads

The island recently received a modern sweeper truck that will be used to make the island’s cleaning efforts more efficient, writes The Daily Herald. The primary purpose of the vehicle, which was purchased as part of the Airport Improvement Plan, is to sweep the surface of the runway at Juancho Yrausquin International Airport on a periodic basis. This is necessary to keep the airport in line with international civil aviation regulations, which require that the runway be kept free of debris at regular intervals. During the periods the sweeper is not needed at the airport, the truck will be used to assist road maintenance crews tasked with keeping Saba’s winding roads clean. The sweeper truck is equipped with rotating brushes, a pressure washer and a powerful vacuum, which makes it suited to this purpose. Commissioner of Public Works and Sanitation Bruce Zagers emphasised that the truck is not intended as a replacement to the maintenance crews that are currently cleaning the roads because they also perform other tasks such as weeding, trimming grass and pruning trees. These are all tasks which the truck is not equipped to do. Commissioner Zagers said the main goal is to improve efficiency in maintenance operations so crews will be able to get more work done in less time. The Commissioner also requested that motorists observe traffic rules and common courtesy when they encounter the truck as it moves slower than regular vehicles while in operation. Zagers stated he was “very pleased” with the willingness and cooperation the island government had received from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment to realise Saba’s first sweeper truck.