GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — QuikPlow is an app that allows both drivers with plows and people with snowy driveways to connect for services.
It's that simple. But it's more than just a convenience. For driver Aaron Hamilton, it's a way to help people after record-high snow levels in Grand Rapids.
“Sometimes you have elderly, you have disabled, you have people who just don’t want to come outside and do it themselves because they have a lot going on, or they’re not feeling good,” snow plow driver Aaron Hamilton said.
The app has been around for about four years. But most recently, a new app design has made it easier to use for customers and for drivers.
READ MORE: New app is like Uber for snow removal
This last round of storms, QuikPlow's revenue has gone up exponentially.
Wednesday, they made more than they did all last year. Thursday, they surpassed what they made Wednesday.
"We’ve had 3,450 customer profiles created. That doesn’t necessarily equate to people ordering. And then we’ve had 470 service providers and same with them. They’ve downloaded it, created the profile,” co-founder of QuikPlow, Ryan Crawley, said.
On average, it's about $50–$60 total to have your driveway done. Drivers like Aaron Hamilton go above and beyond. It's an option to add shoveling walkways and sidewalks to the cost of the driveway.
But he knew it'd only take him a few extra minutes to shovel a short walk on one of his stops today. He says it's his way of making sure people continue to want to use the app. In the last day alone he's made about $750.
The best part isn't the money, though.
“And the best part about it is, every now and again, I get to bring my kids with me,” Hamilton said.
His 3-year-old has been known to pick up a shovel, too. Hamilton says his kids love watching him make big snow piles, especially on the few parking lot jobs he has gotten.
QuikPlow, despite plowing more than three hundred driveways this year, has yet to turn a profit. The owners say they're not in it to make a quick buck. They want the folks driving the plows to be able to make money, especially to upkeep their equipment.
They need to plow more than 70,000 driveways to make a profit. For them, it's about providing an essential service to the community.
Especially when Grand Rapids has had more snow than ever before.
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