Snowplows are essential in the wintertime, which means they must stay ready to go at all times. In order to ensure snowplow availability in the winter, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is proactive in keeping snowplows on the roads.
"They get checked before every shift, of course," WYDOT Deputy Public Affairs Officer Jordan Young told Wyoming News Now. "They are looked at for all the typical CDL pre-check stuff."
WYDOT is responsible for roughly 350 snowplows across the state, and it is their responsibility to maintain these vehicles through the winter season. This starts with vehicle checks every shift, where they check both the inside and outside of a vehicle before hitting the road.
"There is a lot of equipment within the plow that the operator has to use to control both blades. The front blade and the wing plate, as well as the salt [and] sand distribution, and the lights, and all sorts of different switches and stuff, so they test all of that as well," she said.
These regular checks are crucial, as many of these trucks are used year-round on things like paving roads and pothole repair in the summer. This year-round work makes the trucks collect a lot of mileage, so mechanics work hard to make sure these snow plows still operate to the standard that is expected.
"A lot of our plows already have hundreds of thousands of miles already on them, so they are taken care of really well, and it is very prioritized cause we rely on them in the winter to keep the roads clear," Young said.
While WYDOT is proactive in maintenance on snowplows, one thing they encourage you to do at home is drive extra carefully around snowplows to avoid accidents that can also take their snowplows off the roads.
Republished with permission from Wyoming News Now, a TV news outlet covering the Cheyenne and Casper areas.
