Chapter: 5 Meter Reader Equipment

All the meter readers at PSE get work trucks, either a Chevy S10 or a Ford Ranger. Both, ridiculously, are rear wheel drive. The work truck is one of the most important pieces of meter reading equipment. It can offer sanctuary from rain, snow, dogs, and the summer heat. It can serve as a dining room, napping space and routing center. Leonard has a S10 and prefers it to the Ranger because it has a lower center of gravity and is faster. It has a trusty air conditioning that comes in handy often. His rig recently got fitted with a canopy in preparation for a future project. Unlike his poor Red Tercel, Leonard’s work truck is kept fairly clean. The reason for this, much to Leonard’s chagrin, is that the readers have bimonthly cleanliness inspections. Leonard waits till the last possible moment to clean the floor of his work truck from the sunflower seeds that have accumulated there over a two-week period.

The next piece of essential meter reading equipment is the two-way radio and cell phone. The entire PSE staff is tied together by free two-way radio. Every meter reader can contact every other by push of a few buttons. The meter readers in Leonard’s department are constantly squawking at each other through out the day. Every reader has a playful call sign. When Leonard calls a fellow reader he announces, “LEONERD ALERT, LEONERD ALERT,” and then follows by asking if the reader is available for chat. Readers often use the vast wealth of knowledge that they have to help each other locate stubborn meters, ask about past experiences with dogs and home owners (often owners are worse), and to call for assistance when trucks get stuck in a ditch, mud or snow. Leonard keeps his clipped to the passenger side sun visor and may clip it to his hip depending on circumstances of peril.

The route list is an often-unutilized part of the meter readers lives. Rookies like Brandon still cross out every meter they read, a cumbersome rookie practice to ensure completing a route. Seasoned veterans like Leonard, Roni, Jesse and Mike can navigate an entire day of routs and meter locations through reading the information displayed on the LCD screen of their ‘bumper’ devices.

Each meter reader wears specific attire. Many veteran readers adorn PSE fleeces and black denim work jackets showing the insignia. But most importantly all readers wear the florescent green reflector vests to designate to all who look upon them that they are a certified utilities worker. Many times these vests save readers lives from possible misidentification as a criminal, thief, or evil intruder. Leonard’s vest has various stains, rips and fading, and no longer carries much of a reflective flair what so ever. It is also constantly coming unbuttoned because it is a size too small.

The last, and possibly most important, pieces of equipment are the map books. Each meter reader has Pierce, King, Thurston, Lewis, and Kitsap County map books showing every possible back road that could be located in that years edition. Leonard’s are snuggly tucked behind the cab bench, dog-eared and torn in various worn out locations. A meter reader’s efficiency essentially lies in their ability to understand, remember, utilize and navigate their map books. Leonard uses his on only the most stubborn of addresses and new housing developments because, after 6 years, he has most of the Puget Sound memorized.

Leonard runs through his daily checklist of necessary items, plots his course out to the Orting Valley, packs his face full of sunflower seeds, warms the truck up and bullshit’s out the window to Roni in the next parking space. Roni prepares for lift off herself. Leonard chokes on a sunflower seed and washes it down with the last of his Coca Cola. Leonard doesn’t swallow the shells.