Snow plow ‘roadeo’ preps drivers for winter weather

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - The start of fall is just days away, but Hamilton County snow plow drivers are already preparing for winter weather.

Hamilton County Engineering held a “roadeo” at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. It’s full of obstacles aimed to simulate things drivers may encounter during a winter storm.

“It makes a big difference when you have to be in a vehicle when it’s snowy, and your windshield wipers are working and the defroster is working and you’re in the middle of a snowstorm,” explains Todd Long with the Hamilton County Engineer Office, “It’s really easy to do it with visibility today, but it’s much more difficult in a snow storm.”

Long says even for those drivers who have done this before, the training is crucial to learning how some things change from year to year.

“It’s extremely important to have our drivers fully ready for the snow season and get out there in these trucks,” Long adds, “We get new vehicles every year, and we rotate the stock.”

Not only is this a training exercise, but it’s also a competition for the drivers.

They can compete at the state and national level, depending on how they do this week. The training lasts three days.

Long says the public can also prepare now for the snow plow traffic expected this winter season.

“We ask that folks do their best to help us with our snow plow job of kind of staying out of the way if they can,” Long explains, “Stay back proper distance and let us do our work, and we can keep the roads safe for our traveling public.”

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