JEFFERSON CITY – Cooler temperatures and falling leaves are a tell-tale sign that winter is on its way. In preparation, the Missouri Department of Transportation will hold its annual winter operations drill between Oct. 13-15. Motorists may notice an increased number of MoDOT trucks on state routes during the drill. With turnover rates and positions still open, driver training is more critical than ever.
“Going into this winter season, 17% of our snowplow operators have less than one year of experience, and more than 40% have less than three years of experience,” said MoDOT Chief Safety & Operations Officer Becky Allmeroth. “The past four years did not include many significant winter storms, making this training crucial for our drivers. All snowplow operators will drive their routes to get familiar with the details of the road without any snow and ice.”
MoDOT has approximately 3,000 employees across the state involved in work to clear roads and bridges when winter weather hits. During the drill, MoDOT employees will react to a simulated forecast of significant snow for the entire state. The department’s emergency operations centers will be active, and all employees involved in winter operations will be deployed to their trucks. Emergency communications systems will also be tested.
“Safety is at the core of everything we do at MoDOT,” said Allmeroth. “The drill ensures that proper equipment, plowing techniques and safety measures are used by every MoDOT employee. In addition, every piece of equipment—trucks, motor graders, snow blowers and tractors—is inspected and calibrated to conserve materials and operate efficiently and safely.”
Last year, MoDOT spent more than $46 million on winter operations and used 67,000 tons of salt, 1.3 million gallons of salt brine and 152,000 gallons of beet juice.
For the most up-to-date information on road conditions in any winter storm, motorists are urged to use MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map at traveler.modot.org or via the smartphone app available on the Apple Store and Google Play.
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For more information, call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org. To receive the latest statewide news and text alerts, signup for e-updates.
