Would You Try This Snow Removal App?

As the first storm of the year ended up dumping up to 9" of snow in some parts of Ocean County, you may have had enterprising folks with shovels knocking on your door.

Or maybe not. It seems like that practice may be a thing of the past.

When I was in middle and high school, it was almost a tradition - when it snowed, you'd gather a few friends and try to make a few bucks, but I feel like that doesn't happen much these days.

One company, however, wants to take snow removal into the 21st century, and make a clear driveway and car just a few taps away.

It's called "Shovler". It aims to connect people who need to be dug out to folks looking to make a few bucks.

At first glance, the prices seem pretty reasonable, with a set price of $40 for a standard driveway and sidewalk (they consider 2 cars wide, 3 cars long, a walkway and driveway to be the baseline), and $20 to have a car dug out.

The app is still in its infancy, and some things are a little vague. For example, it's unclear if the $20 for a car covers all vehicles or not.

Let's be honest, there's a big difference between how much snow can fit on a Mini Cooper and on an Escalade.

It's also worth noting that in the time that I first looked at the app around lunch time to now, the prices have gone to $40/$20 from $30/$17.50. So I'm guessing that either they're working out the kinks, or using a similar supply and demand model that apps like Uber and Lyft use.

It's also a little unclear if the company vets shovelers in any way. While I'm sure most of those who sign up are just trying to make a few bucks, it also can expose your address and vehicle information to other, less scrupulous individuals.

On the flip side, especially after some of the Pokemon Go stories of luring incidents from last summer, I don't know if I'd let my kid take part in this project.

So what are your thoughts? Would you use an app like this? Are you more likely to hire neighborhood kids? What do you think is a reasonable price? Comment below and chime in!