Two-way chat with web push

A clean line, not radio chatter

During a storm, an operator and the dispatcher need a direct line — a plow ridge to flag, a gate code to ask for, a property that's blocked. Snowmass gives each operator a two-way chat thread with the dispatcher, and pushes new messages to the operator's device with Web Push.

How it works

• Each operator has their own thread with dispatch. Messages go both ways.
• When the dispatcher sends something, it arrives as a push notification on the operator's phone or tablet — even if the app isn't in the foreground.
• Operators reply from the same screen they run their stops on. No app switching.

Why chat beats the radio

• It's a record — you can look back at what was said, instead of "I told you over the radio."
• It's targeted — one operator's question doesn't tie up the whole channel.
• It's quiet — a driver with a machine running can read a push at the next stop instead of straining to hear a call.

When to use chat vs. broadcast

Use chat for anything one operator needs. When the message is for the whole crew — a property closure, a weather change — use a fleet-wide broadcast instead, so you're not retyping it into ten threads. The two live side by side; pick by audience.