About 13 equipment operators hit a PennDOT training course Thursday in Unity to practice their snow plow skills on a day when the region broke the temperature record, hitting 80 degrees.
The previous record, 79 degrees, was set in 1950, according to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh.
The equipment operators worked on using the wing plow on the side of the big yellow trucks while maneuvering through a course marked by orange cones. They had to back into a parking spot, avoid obstacles such as mailboxes and utility poles while squeezing through barriers meant to simulate bridges.
Wing plows are in addition to front plows on trucks and can extend the plow’s reach and clear wider areas, according to PennDOT.
“Give them their space. Make sure that they’re able to do their job safely,” said PennDOT District 12 executive Rachel D. Duda. “Don’t get in between plows if they’re running together … you want to make sure that you keep out of their way because they’re trying to do a job for all the customers in Pennsylvania. It’s hard if there’s cars or something that they have to get around.”
PennDOT District 12 needs 100 temporary operators for winter services. Anyone interested in applying for a job can visit employment.pa.gov.
