ST. LOUIS — As cooler temperatures return to the Show Me State, the Missouri Department of Transportation is preparing for winter weather response with its annual drill on Thursday.
Missouri motorists may notice an increased number of MoDOT trucks on state routes starting at 8 a.m. Thursday in rural areas and 9 a.m. in urban areas. The drill should be completed by 3 p.m., according to MoDOT.
“Safety is a priority at MoDOT. The drill ensures that proper equipment, plowing techniques and safety measures are used by every MoDOT employee,” MoDOT State Maintenance Director Darin Hamelink said in a statement. “In addition, every piece of equipment—every truck, motor grader, snow blower and tractor—is inspected and calibrated to conserve materials and operate efficiently and safely.”
Last year, the department spent $38 million on winter operations and used 81,000 tons of salt, 928,000 gallons of salt brine and 134,000 gallons of beet juice, according to MoDOT.
During Thursday's drill, MoDOT crews will react to a simulated forecast of significant snow for the entire state, activating the department's emergency operations centers and deploying all drivers to their trucks. Emergency communications systems will also be tested during the exercise. According to the department, the training exercise is critical due to high turnover rates and being several hundred employees short of having a full staff.
"Going into this winter season, nearly 19% of our snowplow operators have less than one year of experience and more than one-third will have less than three years of experience,” Hamelink said in a statement. “The past three years did not include many significant winter storms, making this training more critical than ever. All snowplow operators will drive their routes to get familiar with the details of the road without any snow and ice.”
Applications are being accepted now for full-time maintenance workers and emergency equipment operators. If you're interested, click here to apply.
“If you’re a service-oriented individual who is at least 18 years old and can successfully complete a criminal background check and drug screening, we want you to consider a career to keep Missouri moving during the winter season and beyond,” Hamelink said in a statement.
