Bidding on a roadside mowing contracts is a fairly complicated process.  We say that in advance so you know what you are getting into if you have a mowing service and you plan on giving it a go.  We are Keith’s Tractor Mowing, and with over twenty years of experience in lot mowing, acreage mowing, pipeline mowing, and roadside mowing, we feel comfortable in giving our opinion on this topic.

Why so complicated?

The answer to that is twofold: the contract process is complicated, and the mowing itself requires skills.

Let’s look at each of those in a bit more detail.

The contract process

Let’s start with this statement: every county is different and consequently every mowing contract process is different. The process that works in Tarrant County is different from the contract process in Parker County, and both of those are different from the state process for Texas highways.

Understanding that, knowing how to properly apply for jobs, and knowing the people in each jurisdiction who facilitate the contracts, is almost an art form.  One mistake on one small section of a contract will cancel that contract application.  We know because we made those mistakes when we were first starting out a quarter-century ago.  Many a hopeful mowing service has failed in applications simply because they did not cross all of the T’s and dot all of the I’s.

The mowing

Roadside mowing calls for quality equipment and quality experience.  It is dangerous work.  It is large work.  You are talking about miles and miles of roadside swaths of land, all of which must be mowed while traffic is speeding by.  Not only must the grass and overgrowth be cut to specific standards, but danger must also be safeguarded against, i.e. flying rocks, obstacles avoided, etc.  Quite frankly, there are very few mowing companies who are skilled enough to handle the roadside mowing contracts for most counties and cities.  It simply requires too much skill, and the risk is too high.

Don’t even try to fake it

It’s not worth it!  It will catch up with you sooner or later.  If you don’t have the skills and the necessary equipment i.e. brush hog, don’t even bother filling out a contract.  If you should somehow win the contract, your lack of skills will catch up with you, or the lack of liability insurance will break you financially.  We at Keith’s Tractor Mowing carry a $1,000,000 general liability insurance just for cases like this, but not every mowing company can even afford to carry that much insurance.

The good news about roadside mowing contracts

Yes, there is good news.  If you have the skills, and if you have the equipment, this is a profitable avenue to take, one which will continue to pay off for years into the future.  Your reputation, your skills, and your attention to contract details will precede you as you go into the future, and each contract will be a bit easier than the contract before.

We are living proof of that fact.

We are Keith’s Tractor Mowing, serving the Greater Fort Worth area. Call us for quality mowing service at a fair price.