Pothole machine in Sudbury offers high-quality repairs, but low production

Issues with Sudbury’s pothole patching machine An analysis by city staff says the Python 5000 pothole patching machine is very efficient–but is hard to operate & needs maintenance often

The city’s Python 5000 does a great job repairing potholes, but it’s a high-maintenance machine that depends on weather and replacement parts to operate successfully.

That’s the conclusion of a staff analysis of the machine, which the city bought in late 2021 and began using in 2022. The goal is to make a dent in the number of potholes that emerge each year. The city repairs about 100,000 potholes every year, with more than 161,000 repairs in 2018-2019 alone.

Unlike traditional repair methods, the Python 5000 can be operated by one person and the repairs last far longer than other methods.

However, it’s a complicated machine to operate and having someone properly trained to operate it is key.

“However, operator longevity on the (Python) has been somewhat inconsistent, partly due to few employees being comfortable operating the unit in live traffic while using sophisticated controls,” the staff report said.

“Operation … by less experienced operators has led to improper patching (ex. creation of bumps and excess material being left on road), reduced productivity and equipment downtime due to improper cleaning and operation of the equipment.”

It also tends to break down if crews try to drive it to outlying areas of the city.

“To mitigate this situation, the travel speed of the unit was reduced and its operation limited to the city core,” the report said.

There is also a plan in place to hire dedicated drivers to improve productivity.

Understanding that the unit requires a high degree of skill and experience for optimal operation, a dedicated operator is expected to reduce operator errors and increase familiarity, which is anticipated to result in less equipment downtime and increased utilization and productivity,” the report said.

To use it outside of Sudbury, crews will look to move it on a trailer rather than drive it all the way.

Another big challenge was getting replacement parts as the machine wore down because of supply chain issues.

“To improve this situation, fleet services have recently procured the services of local vendors to fabricate custom parts to expedite repairs,” the report said.

“Notable repairs to date included the exhaust, suspension, brakes, hydraulics, front conveyor belt and electrical components.”

'GROWING PAINS'

Joe Rocca, the city’s traffic and asset management supervisor, told city councillors Dec. 11 that productivity on the Python 5000 will improve as crews gain more experience.

“These growing pains are to be expected when incorporating new equipment and technologies into our fleet,” Rocca said.

“The number of days where we can put it to use has fallen short of what we expected,” said engineer Tony De Silva.

They consulted Thunder Bay, which also has the machine, and productivity was similar.

But with the parts issue addressed, and by hiring dedicated drivers, he expects better results next year.

“We’re going to see better results moving forward,” De Silva said.

Read the full report here.