High-spec sweeps Prague: The highway sweepers that are helping tourism

Authorities in the Czech Republic have invested in two of the highest specification highway sweepers in the world to help ensure Prague keeps its reputation as one of Europe"s hottest holiday destinations. But what is so special about these sweepers, and why will the rest of Europe be wanting them soon? by Malcolm Bates After a somewhat turbulent time during the previous 60 years, including a World War II invasion, the Cold War and then a revolution, the beautiful city of Prague finally started to get more of the recognition it deserved as a tourist destination in 1992 when it was included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Then in 1993, following the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia, Prague was named capital of the new Czech Republic and the visitors really started flooding in. It is a blessing that Prague suffered considerably less damage to its buildings during World War II than many other European cities, so there is plenty of historic architecture which is still glorious to look at today. As the sixth most-visited European city in Europe, Prague"s authorities know that they have a reputation to protect to make sure the tourist numbers stay above the four million per year mark, and one of the things it is brilliant to see them focusing on their waste collection service. World leading When I tell you that Prague is the home to the two highest specification (and the most expensive) highway vacuum sweepers at work anywhere in the world, it helps underline how seriously the authorities in Prague are, in keeping the city – and indeed, the entire country – right up there as a world-class tourist destination. Two might not sound like a very significant number, especially as the 200+ strong City Council fleet still has a few old trucks which have certainly seen better days and could probably tell you some stories about the Iron Curtain, but wait till you hear the specification before judging … But before we start, we need to note that there is already a highly successful vacuum sweeper manufacturer of potentially global stature in the Czech Republic – Kobit. Indeed, Kobit does have several units at work in Prague, although more recently a large number of machines have been supplied by German manufacturer Faun. The layout of the driver"s cab with low entry and lack of power-unit intrusion Click here to enlarge image Indeed, visitors to the IFAT event in Germany may have already seen one of the two Prague twins (one formed part of the Faun outdoor display), but this was often missed as visitors flocked to see the new 4 m3 Faun truck-mounted sweeper that can be specified either as a "vacuum" or "mechanical" machine. A second look would have confirmed the significance of the Prague specification; firstly, the choice of chassis – the low entry Mercedes-Benz Econic RCV chassis. Shortened for sweeper operations, this was, to say the least, unusual. While there is obviously a "one stop shop" element for any city operating Econic-based RCVs (which may or may not feature Faun compaction bodywork), one of the most asked questions at the time was why specify a low-entry cab for a highway sweeper? Prague specified Mercedes-Benz Econic-based natural gas-fuelled units Click here to enlarge image Having seen the two new Econic-based units at work in Prague, I can provide the answer; part of the reason is that where there is any requirement to get in and out of the truck cab during the shift, the reduction of fatigue is likely to pay dividends in productivity and reduced injury-at-work claims. The other reason is that the Econic is one of the few chassis currently in production with a natural gas (CNG) fuel option. At the same time, RCV chassis are now routinely assembled with a fully automatic gearbox option – so that"s another box under the heading of "fatigue reduction" ticked (although in the case of the units for Prague, fully hydrostatic transmission has been specified). Why specify low-entry cabbed vacuum sweepers? After all, the driver doesn"t need to get in or out of the cab as often as the crew on an RCV? In most cases, no. But in a central area, it"s sometimes better that a sweeper works in conjunction with one (or sometimes two) extra crew members to "brush out" from under parked cars and other obstructions ahead of the machine. So what do we have so far? A couple of very expensive vacuum sweepers mounted on modified RCV chassis and running on natural gas. Can two sweepers really make that much difference to an entire city? Well, the reduced engine noise (over a diesel) is one significant factor, but the reduced particulates which come out of the Econic"s exhaust system are clearly of further added value in any city which wants to attract more people to visit, spend money and enjoy its cultural delights. But we haven"t got to the good bit yet, because that"s within the body/hopper unit of the Faun Viatec 6 m3 "green sweepers". To get the full detail of the specification of these two units, you"ll need to allow for quite a long conversation with the managing director of Faun Viatec, Helmut Schmeh. Because it"s quite some spec. In the case of these two "spearhead units," it starts with full hydrostatic transmission – although Helmut Schmeh will remind you Faun could, if preferred, install either a power take-off (PTO) drive and/or manual (or fully automatic) gearbox instead. But then, like a single-engined option, hydrostatic transmission is the most environmentally-friendly and practical option for for inner city operation. And it"s certainly more environmentally acceptable than a traditional two-engine design – although of course, Faun Viatec also produces two-engine designs for other applications if required. Other than UK manufacturer, Scarab Sweepers, it is the only manufacturer to offer all three options while also offering the option of either vacuum or mechanical collection on the 4 m3 model. One of the two high-spec Faun Viatec sweepers at work in Prague city centre Click here to enlarge image Another standard feature of all Faun truck-mounted vacuum sweepers is the "air recirculation system" which utilizes the airflow exhausted from the body to help dislodge the debris at the pick-up trap. But the machines for Prague go way beyond the norm; they also use a body roof-mounted air filtration system. However, it"s currently expensive to install and it needs regular inspection in order for particulate emissions to be correctly monitored. So have there been problems? Yes and no. Helmut Schmeh confirms that there have been a few bedding-in issues, and certainly when I visited the main Prague City Council depot during a driver training seminar, there were lots of questions. But the fact that engineers from both Faun Viatec and the local Mercedes-Benz chassis distributor were on hand, helped underline the value in choosing the right partners in any new leap forward. With the delights of the Old Town Square, Prague Castle and the Pisek Gate drawing visitors to the city all the time, it is important that they have some well-maintained and clean streets to walk down. My trip around the downtown area, the modern City Council depot, and the well-placed natural gas filling stations close to the downtown area that enable the units to be refuelled during driver breaks, all suggested to me that the City of Prague has its priorities right, and that other European cities interested in benefiting from the tourist trade could learn a lesson or two from its example. Malcolm Bates is Transport Correspondent for Waste Management World e-mail: wmw@pennwell.com This article is on-line. Please visit www.waste-management-world.comP