Minnesota DOT Readies New Snowplow Operators for Winter

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is hosting a two-week snowplow operator training program to prepare for the upcoming winter season.

The intensive course runs from Aug. 11 to 22 at MnDOT’s Mankato facility. Approximately 12 new snowplow operators from South Central Minnesota are participating.

The program combines classroom instruction with hands-on training, covering topics including snowplow operation, safety procedures, equipment maintenance and best plowing techniques.

“While snow may be months away, the training will focus on essential skills for safely operating large plow trucks and using advanced tools to help operators make informed decisions on proper treatment materials and quantities based on real-time road and weather conditions,” MnDOT said in a news release.

The department’s Mankato location has a coned obstacle course in its parking lot for trainees to practice maneuvering a snowplow equipped with blades and wings. The participants will also drive on local state highways.

“Our snowplow operators play a vital role in keeping South Central Minnesota’s highways safe each winter,” MnDOT Assistant Maintenance Engineer Scott Morgan said in a news release. “This training will ensure they are ready to respond safety and effectively to Minnesota’s unpredictable winter conditions.”

MnDOT employs more than 170 snowplow operators in the area. They maintain a fleet of 83 trucks over 3,264 lane miles of state highways every winter.

For the fifth year in a row, the department held a snowplow naming contest for each of its districts. South Central Minnesota chose “I Came, I Thaw, I Conquered” and the named plow will soon join the area’s fleet — alongside the newly trained operators.

Sources: Minnesota Department of Transportation, KDHL