{"id":43369,"date":"2021-12-06T21:15:54","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T21:15:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/great-resignation-hits-snowplow-drivers-some-people-are-not-going-to-be-happy-with-the-level-of-service\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T09:13:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T09:13:08","slug":"great-resignation-hits-snowplow-drivers-some-people-are-not-going-to-be-happy-with-the-level-of-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/great-resignation-hits-snowplow-drivers-some-people-are-not-going-to-be-happy-with-the-level-of-service\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Great Resignation\u2019 hits snowplow drivers: \u2018Some (people) are not going to be happy with the level of service\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Mike
Mike Somsen, Durango streets superintendent, walks by one of the 14 snowplows on Tuesday that the city has ready to go when snow falls. Durango has less than half of the snowplow drivers it needs this winter, Somsen said. Residents can expect slower and less extensive plowing in the coming months. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Snow is on the horizon, but don\u2019t expect snowplows to follow.<\/p>\n

The city of Durango faces severe snowplow driver shortages that will affect snow removal this winter.<\/p>\n

Residents can expect slower and less extensive plowing as the city prioritizes major roads and important infrastructure, such as hospitals and fire stations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re definitely looking at a reduced level of service when it comes to snowplowing,\u201d said city of Durango Streets Superintendent Mike Somsen. \u201cI really want to encourage the public to be patient. We\u2019ll be doing the best we can with what we have, but we just aren\u2019t getting any applications at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city has less than half the drivers it needs.<\/p>\n

A full crew would be 14 plow drivers. Ahead of Monday night\u2019s storm, five were available.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s getting harder and harder to find people that are willing to work odd hours and commit to being on call,\u201d Somsen said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve entered a new workforce era where individuals are looking more toward Monday through Friday jobs. We don\u2019t do that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Plow drivers are required to have a commercial driver\u2019s license, which can cost hundreds of dollars. They must also submit to regular drug testing, including marijuana, which Somsen said can be a deterrent.<\/p>\n

Snowplowing can be a dangerous profession. Drivers often have no idea what\u2019s under the snow they\u2019re driving over and obstacles like parked cars make the job difficult. Many times they have to face angry residents.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been struggling,\u201d Somsen said. \u201cWe\u2019ve hired some temporary workers to help us through the fall season, but we\u2019re barely keeping up.\u201d<\/p>\n

La Plata County has not had the same issues. The county\u2019s plowing crews are fully staffed at the moment, said Ted Holteen, spokesman for La Plata County.<\/p>\n

Hiring snowplow drivers remains an annual challenge for the Colorado Department of Transportation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something we face every year trying to find these temporary, full-time workers that we need during the winter months,\u201d said Lisa Schwantes, spokeswoman for CDOT.<\/p>\n

Affordable housing and other obstacles unique to rural Colorado can hamper the search. CDOT needs plow drivers in small mountain towns scattered across rural Colorado.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have gotten to the point where we want to find folks who are interested in starting a career with us,\u201d Schwantes said. \u201cWe are willing to train drivers. We are willing to help them obtain their commercial driving license. \u2026 We\u2019re really interested in finding folks who are willing to make a career out of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though shortages are straining city operations, CDOT expects its crews to be fully staffed by the end of the month, Schwantes said.<\/p>\n

In the interim, CDOT will lean on its other crews. For this week\u2019s forecasted storms, CDOT\u2019s traffic and specialty crews will help with snow removal.<\/p>\n

While CDOT is prepared, the agency only covers U.S. and state highways.<\/p>\n

County crews must plow 600 miles of road every time it snows, driving more than 1,500 miles per storm.<\/p>\n

City crews are responsible for plowing about 164 miles of roads within city limits and 55 city blocks around town.<\/p>\n

Staff shortages and the enormous areas drivers must cover will hinder snow removal this winter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been able to provide a very high level of service in the past, and I think some (people) are not going to be happy with the level of service that we\u2019re able to provide this winter,\u201d Somsen said.<\/p>\n

For the city, residential areas will be plowed after major roads and emergency facilities, which may take longer than usual. Alleys will be plowed last.<\/p>\n

The county prioritizes county roads 240 (Florida Road), 501, 141 (Wildcat Canyon Road), 210 and 310\/318. Crews will turn to gravel and other low-traffic roads only after these major roads have been cleared and sanded.<\/p>\n

Somsen said Durango\u2019s plowing will look more like Denver\u2019s this year, in which residential streets are plowed two days after storms.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to become the new norm here for a while,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

With fewer drivers, the quality of snow removal will decrease, too.<\/p>\n

The city doesn\u2019t have capacity to run 24-hour crews, so clearing will be spottier.<\/p>\n

Snowplows will clear the center of roads and wait until storms pass to clear the sides.<\/p>\n

This two-step process can frustrate residents as plows shed snow onto already shoveled driveways or sidewalks, but Somsen said that\u2019s all road maintenance can do right now.<\/p>\n

In the past, crews have tackled ice. Ice dams can build up on roads, making them slick and treacherous. But this year, crews will be occupied with clearing roads and ice will be secondary.<\/p>\n

\u201cIce is probably going to be an issue,\u201d Somsen said. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to be able to deal with icing issues like we have in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom Sluis, a spokesman for the city, said residents should not be worried. Driver shortages will affect snow removal, but snowplows will still be out cleaning roads.<\/p>\n

\"Mike
Mike Somsen, Durango streets superintendent, inspects snowplows on Tuesday that are ready to go. The only problem: The city needs more drivers. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The city is considering signing bonuses for new drivers and is reaching out to other departments for help, Sluis said.<\/p>\n

Drivers will still need to be prepared for cold-weather driving this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember to get back into that winter driving mode and make sure that you\u2019re prepared for any driving conditions that are coming our way,\u201d Schwantes said.<\/p>\n

Drivers should have good snow tires or chains and slow down when driving in snowy or ice conditions. They should also take the time to clear their windshields and lights and have emergency supplies such as shovels, flashlights and blankets in their trunks.<\/p>\n

\u201cMake sure that you are comfortable driving in the conditions that you\u2019re seeing. If you can hold off travel until things subside, we encourage folks to do that,\u201d Schwantes said.<\/p>\n

Travelers can visit CDOT\u2019s COtrip.org for road conditions, travel alerts and cameras to plan ahead.<\/p>\n

As for the snow that\u2019s forecast to arrive in the next few days, Schwantes said not to worry.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got things covered this week,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

ahannon@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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