Snow plow drivers working hard during blizzard

CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - When winter storms hit, snow plow drivers can often be unsung heroes. Doing their best to make roads drivable. I hitched a ride with one of Casper’s plow drivers, and learned first hand how much effort they put in.

I met up with snow plow driver Rebel McLean, a 25-year-veteran, at City Hall. One of the first things I observed? Plowing snow and ice during a blizzard... Isn’t the smoothest ride!

“No! No, these things are... Pretty unforgiving,” McLean says.

Besides needing a CDL to operate a plow truck, McLean says a driver needs to be good at multi-tasking. Needing to steer, operate the plow, and monitor the salt flow.

Referring to the plow on the front of the truck, McLean says “Some places we put it in the middle, and some places we just put it to the side. And this is our control panel for our salter.”

Plow drivers do their best to clear streets from curb to curb. But sometimes... That can be a challenge.

“Parked cars... Along the route. It’s a... It’s a hazard. Because we do curb to curb. We’ve got to go around them all the time.”

For McLean, his biggest wish is that all motorists would drive cautiously, especially around plow trucks.

“To stay back. Not to crowd us. Don’t be in a hurry! Seems like everybody is in a hurry anymore, so. Just let us do our job. And we’LL be out of your way faster. We’re just trying to make it safe for the public of Casper.”

McLean says they’re working a 12-hour shift that started at four this morning. And as for a lunch break? Well, they had to pack their lunches because they’re having to work straight through.

Copyright 2023 KGWN. All rights reserved.