Michigan has a shortage of snow plow and salt truck drivers.
"And so it's a little more critical to get on top of it in a very busy urban area, like Detroit or Grand Rapids," said Mark Geib, administrator of the Transportation Systems Management Operations division at the Michigan Department of Transportation. "It's not just for the traveling public, but it's also for emergency services, the ambulances, and police and fire and all that. So, you know, we need to keep the roads clear so people can get around, especially in emergency situations."
Geib said he hasn't seen a snowplow driver shortage anything like this during his 30 years at MDOT.
The Michigan Department of Transportation contracts out the responsibility to counties for about 75% of the roads and manages the other 25% themselves, according to Mark Geib, administrator in the Transportation Systems Management Operations division.
Individual counties, like Oakland, Wayne and Macomb, are also struggling to fill their rosters.
That's on top of budgetary decisions which have limited plowing and salting to larger snow events (5" or more). Which were probably going to be even more limited with the fuel price increases--especially for diesel.
If it's a mild winter like last year's, manageable.
If it's like 2013...hoo, boy. The Expedition is on its last legs as it is.
Sounds like you better get in the habit of stocking up supplies and seeing how much work you can get done remotely.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, you may have time to finally get all the minis painted!
Great minds thing alike--and so do ours!
ReplyDeleteI haven't risked letting the stockpile dwindle. Except for the freezer, which is approaching the time for its annual defrost. At least after spring 2020, nobody bats an eye about it here, so that's good.
Remote work has been and hopefully will continue to be an option. I can't see us returning to regular on-site work before late January 2022, if I am reading the tea leaves correctly.
And I do need to paint more minis: my wife gave me a Terminator Assault Squad for our anniversary. I'd love to unload those angry lads from the Land Raider Redeemer.