AUDIO TRANSCRIPT: Snow removal crews face one of their busiest winters yet
Sophia Dominicis: This year many cities across Central New York have broken the 100 inch mark for snow fall. As demand for plows increases, so does delays in snow removal. Syracuse renter Maia Collins says this winter has her picking up the shovel more often than she thought she would.
Maia Collins: They’re being like the snowplow not coming back all the time or right away, and there’s like snow at my door, that’s been weird having to adjust to the shoveling.
Dominicis: For snow removers, year-long contracts mean pay is not tied to how much snow is removed. Associate professor of management at Syracuse University Cameron Miller says plowers are losing out this year.
Cameron Miller: Over the last four or five years the winters have been relatively mild, so if you’ve been on a contract, people on the snow removal side have benefited quite a bit from being well below average, so this year, they’re earning their keep.
Dominicis: With temperatures finally hitting 40 degrees, there is relief for plowers. Sophia Dominicis, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Snow removal companies across Central New York were spread thin this winter season. With snowfall totals surpassing 100 inches in several cities, local crews faced one of the most demanding seasons in recent memory.
Maia Collins, a renter in Syracuse, said delays in receiving snowplow service meant she had to contribute to the removal process herself.
“They’re being like the snowplow not coming back all the time or right away, and there’s like snow at my door, that’s been weird having to adjust to the shoveling,” Collins said.
While some snow removal services are provided by the city and state governments, others are owned privately. With many snow removal companies operating under yearly contracts, payment is often independent of how much snow plowers remove.
Cameron Miller, associate professor of management at Syracuse University, said this year required workers to do more removing than past winter seasons.
“Over the last four or five years the winters have been relatively mild, so if you’ve been on a contract, people on the snow removal side have benefited quite a bit from being well below average, so this year, they’re earning their keep,” Miller said.
In Central New York, the city of Syracuse saw over 127 inches of snowfall. To ensure community safety and accessibility to buildings and roads, plow operators removed snow from over 400 miles of streets.
As of now, temperatures have reached 40 degrees, providing relief for snow plowers and residents.