Ohio Turnpike preps fleet for winter, looking for drivers, new plow names
Three rows of bright yellow trucks fill the service garage in Portage County's Freedom Township. They've been on the road since the end of the last winter season, helping with construction and maintenance work on Interstate 80, the Ohio Turnpike.
Now, with plows in place and freshly waxed and polished, drivers and mechanics check out the 15 newly outfitted trucks. One after another, each one is inspected: Hydraulic pistons are activated to flex plow blades, fluid levels and gauges are checked, lights flash and engines roar as the crews run down a checklist of dozens of items.
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"We have our mechanics checking out the trucks — check out the plow operations and lights, just making sure they're ready to go for that first snowfall," said section foreman John Hall, who oversees the Portage County shop.
The facility, one of eight across the state, is home base for crews responsible for the turnpike from Exit 187 in Streetsboro in Portage County to Exit 218 just north of Interstate 76 in North Jackson in Mahoning County.
"After this inspection, if it's not snowing, we'll take some of these trucks apart and use them for other operations," Hall said.
If the snow comes in heavy, the plows and other gear can be reinstalled within hours.
Keeping the roads clear
Across the region, the Ohio Department of Transportation has nearly 500 full-time employees also preparing for winter weather and completing checks of equipment.
Dealing with icy roads takes some getting used to, but even experienced drivers get the chills when storms roll in, said Matt McMullen, Ohio Turnpike Eastern Division manager. He spent 16 years on the road before moving into management and jokingly refers to himself as a "late bloomer."
"You get anxious, of course, because you know it's going to be a crazy busy night. You mentally prepare for it. It's very mentally exhausting when plowing. It's hard to see the traffic, but you have the responsibility to take care of something that needs to be safe. We take it very seriously, all the guys do."
Crews work 12-hour shifts. The overnight shift starts at midnight; the afternoon shift starts at noon. Shift changes during storms can overlap to keep operations going. The goal is to keep their stretch of the Turnpike cleared within an hour.
"There's a good chance that when you switch shifts, it could be at the height of an event," he said.
Drivers often eat while driving or when at the garage getting reloaded with salt.
"You're not going to stop to eat," McMullen said. "It's a quick lunch, something you can scarf down. You pull in to load, maybe someone's in front of you — you eat your sandwich."
He said the scariest part of the job is seeing nearby drivers lose control, adding drivers see a lot of people going off the road, or crashing into walls.
"You might have a car crash; you might see someone spin out in front of you, or behind you," he said. "You might come across a crash that's already happened, someone who has gone off the road and into a ditch. You call it in and we have support staff."
Hall, who spent four years on the road, said semi truck drivers pose the greatest challenge, as they can block multiple lanes of traffic.
"We have jackknives, or we have semi versus cars, semi versus semi − the truck volume is up in recent years," Hall said.
The worst crashes are those involving multiple vehicles.
However, it's rare for turnpike crews to be unprepared for storms and crews are out pre-treating bridges and hills before they turn slick.
"We know when snow is going to happen ... We always have crews that are ready to go," Hall said.
Ohio Turnpike looking for drivers
There are numerous opening for plow drivers with the Ohio Turnpike, including two full-time posts available at the Freedom Township yard. ODOT said it is looking for nearly 200 seasonal workers.
Preparation for the winter season starts in October, when the Turnpike's eight maintenance buildings reconfigure their fleets totaling 100 trucks. They will cover nearly 1,400 lane miles, 31 toll plazas and 14 service plazas.
Hall said new drivers who need experience are typically sent to clear less stressful and demanding areas, such as toll and service plazas until they gain more experience. They also learn from experienced drivers.
"We count on our veterans to pass on their experiences, because really experience is the best way to learn," said McMullen. "When I came in here, the veterans back then told you there's never two storms that are the same and they're right. They're all a little bit different.
"With our new staff coming in, if they don't have experience, we spend a lot of time with them showing them the ropes and showing them the tricks to it. There's a method to the madness. It's more than just driving around with the plow down."
The Ohio Turnpike is looking for commercial drivers, with tanker certifications and who preferably have winter driving experience.
Those interested in applying should look for maintenance worker posts (MW Class II Roadway) at https://www.ohioturnpike.org/about-us/careers.
Second annual snowplow naming contest under way
A new tradition in the works is in its second year, as the Ohio Turnpike’s annual Name-a-Snowplow Contest is set to begin on Oct. 24 and submissions will be accepted through Nov. 20.
At the close of the submission period, Ohio Turnpike officials will select 50 names for a public vote, which will run from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2.
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The eight snowplow names receiving the most votes (one for each of the Turnpike's service garages) will be declared the winners, with the announcement scheduled for Dec. 9. Each winner will receive a $100 cash gift card. To enter and for contest rules, visit www.ohioturnpike.org when the contest begins.
Last year's contest garnered nearly 1,000 suggestions, and around 4,000 votes for the 50 names picked from that list.
Eric Marotta can be reached at emarotta@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarottaEric.
Winter Turnpike facts
The Ohio Turnpike begins preparing for the snow and ice removal season in the spring and wraps up in October with comprehensive winter equipment inspections at eight maintenance buildings across the 241-mile toll road.
A 136-point inspection of all snowplows and equipment takes place just before the first signs of winter.
In 2021-2022, the Ohio Turnpike was hit with 55 winter storm events. The crews worked more than 32,000 hours to keep the roadway clear of ice and snow.
More than 309,000 gallons of de-icing liquid and 56,000 tons of salt was used to remove snow and ice during the 2021-2022 season.
On average, about 293,000 gallons of de-icing liquid and 65,000 tons of salt are used per year.
When required, crews will work 12-hour shifts seven days a week.
Ohio Turnpike crews use multiple techniques and advanced equipment to battle winter roadway conditions, including the tow plow. Tow plows can clear and treat two lanes of traffic simultaneously while using only one truck.
The top priority, especially during extremely heavy snowfall is clearing the right and center lanes of the Ohio Turnpike mainline. Then the crews focus attention on the toll plaza interchanges, ramps and service plazas.
The Ohio Turnpike is not subject to local snow emergencies and does not close.
Typically, customers will see Ohio Turnpike trucks on the mainline performing tandem plowing, where two snowplows travel one behind the other to clear two lanes at the same time.
Another method sometimes performed is echelon plowing, which uses four or more snowplows closely staggered to clear all lanes, including the shoulders, with one pass. This is typically required when a single heavy storm or multiple storms occur.
Source: Ohio Turnpike
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ohio Turnpike plow crews preparing for winter weather
