Documentation software for winter service
Wintertrace records what was done, where, when, and under which weather conditions. It produces a structured PDF for each operation that an operator can hand to a customer, an insurer, or themselves later.
Snow removal software
Snow removal software, focused on the records
Wintertrace is open-source, self-hosted software for documenting snow removal operations. It captures GPS tracks, weather data, and photos for every job, and produces a structured PDF service proof the operator can hand to a customer or an insurer. No subscription, no proprietary hardware, no vendor cloud.
Why snow removal needs its own software
A snow removal operator carries an unusual amount of liability relative to the price of the job. A slip on an icy walkway can trigger a claim that dwarfs a season of revenue from that property. When the claim arrives, the operator has the burden of showing that service was performed at the right time, in the right way, and under the conditions that justified it.
Most general-purpose tools — spreadsheets, paper logs, generic field-service apps — handle the operational side fine. They tend to break down on the documentation side, which is exactly the part that matters in a dispute. Wintertrace exists to handle that side specifically.
What Wintertrace is
Self-hosted on standard web hosting
It runs on the kind of shared hosting that runs a small business website. PHP 8.2, MySQL or MariaDB, a browser installer. No Docker, no command line, no vendor cloud in the middle.
Open source, free of charge
The source code is on GitHub under GNU AGPLv3. No per-vehicle subscription, no seat licence, no premium tier of the core application.
Usable across jurisdictions
The documentation features are jurisdiction-neutral. Operators in the US, UK, Canada, EU, and Australia use the same software. Country-specific compliance modules are planned but not yet released.
What Wintertrace is not
Honest scope is more useful than a feature list that pretends to cover everything. The categories below are deliberate gaps, not oversights.
Not a dispatch or routing platform
Wintertrace does not assign trucks to routes, optimise winter service paths, or manage call-out lists. Operators who need dispatch run something else for that part.
Not a billing or CRM system
Invoicing, customer relationship management, and contract administration live in other tools. Wintertrace exports operation data as CSV so a billing system can consume it.
Not a legal certification
The software captures structured records. Whether a record satisfies any specific jurisdiction, insurer, or court is a question for the operator and their adviser. Wintertrace provides documentation support — not legal advice.
Not a hosted service
Wintertrace does not run a cloud version. There is no Wintertrace login, no Wintertrace data centre, no Wintertrace support contract. Operators install and operate the software themselves.
The features at a glance
Each link points at a feature page with the implementation details.
GPS tracking via OwnTracks →
Position data from the driver phone, directly to the operator server.
Automatic weather records →
Temperature, precipitation, snow depth from independent providers.
PDF service proof →
One bundled PDF per operation with GPS, weather, and photos.
Customer portal →
Clients see their operations themselves, with optional GPS access.
Data protection tools →
Anonymisation, retention, export — built in, not bolted on.
Signed auto-updates →
Ed25519 signatures protect every update against tampering.
When Wintertrace is the right answer
A short list of the operator situations where the trade-offs line up. The comparison pages cover the alternatives in more detail.
You document by hand or in spreadsheets
Wintertrace turns the documentation burden into a structured by-product of operations. The driver does almost nothing different; the records assemble themselves.
You are uneasy about vendor lock-in
Self-hosting and open source remove the two main vectors. There is no vendor that can change terms, raise prices, or shut down your access.
You want to keep customer data on your own infrastructure
Customer addresses, photographs of private property, and driver movement profiles stay on the hosting plan the operator pays for.
All comparisons (spreadsheets, paper, cloud SaaS, industry software) →
Common questions
What does Wintertrace cost?
The software is free under GNU AGPLv3. The only cost on the operator side is hosting, which for a small operation is a few euros per month on standard shared hosting.
How long does installation take?
Roughly ten minutes through a browser assistant, plus the standard hosting setup. The installation guide on this site covers it step by step.
Do I need a server in my office?
No. "Self-hosted" here means a hosting plan you control — typically a shared hosting account, the same kind of plan that runs a small business website. You do not need to own hardware.
Will Wintertrace replace my current cloud product?
It depends on what your cloud product does. If it only handles documentation, then yes. If it also handles dispatch, billing, or routing, you would keep that part and add Wintertrace for documentation, or accept that Wintertrace covers less surface area.
How does Wintertrace handle data protection?
Anonymisation, retention policies, and structured exports are built in. The application does not phone home, does not send analytics, and stores all operator data on the operator hosting. Whether any specific regulation is satisfied is for the operator and their adviser to determine.
Is Wintertrace ready for production use?
The software is in active development. The roadmap and changelog on this site describe what is shipped, what is next, and what is still under construction. Operators considering production use should read both before installing.
Note: Wintertrace provides documentation support for snow removal operations. It does not certify regulatory fit in any specific jurisdiction and is not a substitute for legal advice.
Source code on GitHub. Free under GNU AGPLv3.
Try Wintertrace.
Upload one small file to your web hosting, open it in your browser, and the installer puts the latest signed Wintertrace core on your webspace. About ten minutes — no FTP client needed.