This story is about lack of snow plow drivers Syracuse has.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)- Syracuse is lacking snowplow drivers and the Mayor’s office wants to incentivize people to be snowplow drivers. If there aren’t enough snowplow drivers it could potentially cause an issue when winter comes around.
Syracuse is looking to hire 15 new snowplow drivers and are trying to provide incentives for people to be snowplow drivers. The Mayor’s Chief Operating Officer Corey Driscoll Dunham is hoping that the 15 snow plow driving vacancies can be filled .
“Whether or not we’re going to be able to fill all 15 by the first snowfalls we’ll wait and see,” said Dunham. “But we’re doing everything we can reaching out to as many resources as we can to get candidates in the door.”
If the vacancies aren’t filled, then it could cause a huge problem when winter comes around.
“Snowing and plowing snow is not just a convenience so that folks can get around,” said Dunham. “It’s really an issue of safety we really want to be in the best position we can to make the roads safe for people to travel.”
The Mayor’s office is talking with the local union Local 400 to discuss incentives in order to get more snowplow drivers.
“I mean right now it’s really just potential it’s a conversation we’re having with our union leaders is there anything we could offer,” said Dunham. “Right now we offer a it’s called a night shift differential so that you pay people a little if they’re willing to work overnights.”
Syracuse Resident Martin Melbrod, who applied to be a snowplow driver, wants snowplow driving to be an all year-round job.
“Making them deal team employees all year round,” said Melbrod. “Instead of seasonal would be more of an incentive to get these kids or younger men and women into the driving positions.”
When Melbrod applied to be a snowplow driver, he said the salary was $17 per hour. Melbrod thinks the salary also needs to be higher to get more snow plow drivers.
Transcript
SARAL KHARE: Syracuse is lacking snowplow drivers and the Mayor’s office is trying to get more of them so it doesn’t become a problem for residents
The Mayor’s chief operating officer Corey Driscoll Dunham says that the department of public works is looking to fill 15 positions for snowplow drivers.COREY DRISCOLL DUNHAM: “Whether or not we’re going to be able to fill all 15 by the first snowfalls we”ll wait and see but we’re doing everything we can reaching out to as many resources as we can to get candidates in the door”
KHARE: Dunham says if vacancies aren’t filled this could potentially be a problem regarding safety.
DUNHAM: Snowing and plowing snow is not just a convenience so that folks can get around it’s really an issue of safety we really waana be in the best position we can to make the roads safe for people to travel
KHARE: Dunham says the city is discussing with the union local 400 to incentivize snow plow drivers based on pay
DUNHAM: I mean right now it’s really just potential it’s a conversation we’re having with our union leaders is there anything we could offer? Right now we offer a it’s called a night shift differential so that you pay people a little if they’re willing to work overnights
KHARE: Syracuse resident Martin Melbrod who applied to be a snowplow driver says that the city should incentivize potential snowplow drivers to work year-round.
MARTIN MELBROD: Making them deal team employees all year round instead of seasonal would be more of an incentive to get these kids or younger men and women into the driving positions
KHARE: Dunham did say that if the roads where people travel to work have a lot of snow and there aren’t enough snow plow drivers those roads will be the first priority in getting cleaned up. From Syracuse, Saral Khare, NCC News