How Do Companies Prioritize Which Properties First?

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

Not every property on a route gets cleared at the same time, and there's a clear logic behind who gets plowed first when a storm hits London, Ontario.

Commercial properties with early opening hours, like grocery stores, medical clinics, and offices, typically get priority since customers and employees need safe access first thing in the morning. Fire routes and properties with liability concerns also move up the list.

Residential routes are usually grouped by geography so crews aren't backtracking across town, which keeps response times consistent even during a big storm. Customers with steep driveways or heavy foot traffic sometimes get flagged for earlier passes too.

Contract type matters as well. Season-long clients on an established route are typically serviced on a predictable schedule, while one-off or last-minute requests get worked in as capacity allows.

Seasonal Contracts vs. Per-Call Requests

When a storm drops a lot of snow overnight, crews start with the properties already on their seasonal routes. Those clients have committed to the whole winter, their driveways are already mapped, and their edges, steps and drains have been marked before the season. Calls from new or one-time customers get added only after route customers are done. If you want reliable timing, a seasonal plan beats calling around on the morning of a storm.

The Snow Trigger Matters

Most seasonal contracts start service once snowfall reaches a set depth. Ours is automatic at 5 cm or more, so you never need to call to request a visit. During a long storm, crews make return visits rather than waiting for the snow to stop, which keeps accumulation manageable and avoids a single heavy pass at the end.

Early-Morning Priority

Some households simply need to leave earlier than others: shift workers, health care staff, or anyone with a long commute. Because route order is the main factor, the only fair way to guarantee an earlier slot is a dedicated priority option. At Thames Valley Snow, priority early-morning clearing is an add-on at $125 + HST for the season, which places your driveway near the front of your route.

What Slows a Route Down

A few things push everyone later: cars parked in the clearing path, City plows returning to leave a fresh windrow at the end of driveways, and freezing rain that turns into salting work. We clear the City windrow as part of every visit, and you get a timestamped photo after each visit so you know exactly when your property was done, even if you have already left for work.

How Routes Are Built Before the Season

Good prioritization starts in the fall, not on storm night. Routes are planned by neighbourhood so crews move in a logical loop instead of crossing the city, and each property is reviewed for anything that slows the work: tight turns, decorative stamped or paver surfaces that need a raised rubber-edge blade, long walkways, or steps. Properties with walkway and steps service take longer per stop, which is built into the route order. The result is a predictable sequence storm after storm, so a household near the start of a route stays near the start all winter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request a specific time?

Exact times cannot be promised during storms, but priority clearing moves you toward the start of the route.

Do commercial sites go before homes?

Commercial sites often run on their own crews and schedules. Commercial work is priced per site, with quotes within 2 business days.

Want ice handled for you this winter? Get a free quote or call or text (548) 888-8702. We quote from City of London maps and aerial imagery within 1 business day. Read more on priority clearing and how it works.

What's included… and what's extra

A Thames Valley Snow seasonal residential plan starts from $650 for a standard driveway. It covers clearing the driveway every time snowfall reaches the trigger depth in your agreement, plus the windrow the city plow leaves at the end of the driveway. Larger driveways are priced on our snow removal prices page.

Popular add-ons, priced per season: walkway and steps from $150 (walk plus up to 6 steps $175), salting $175 (including freezing rain and refreeze visits), priority early-morning clearing $125, pet-safe de-icer $120, a season extension from Nov 1 to Apr 15 for $95 and city sidewalk clearing $90. Add only what your property needs; everything is listed on the quote so there are no surprises. Get your fixed price or call or text (548) 888-8702.