County snow plowers

[Yorku]

I genuinely appreciate the work that our snow plow drivers do. They work the worst possible hours (graveyard, xmas eve, etc) through rather dangerous conditions just to make sure we can get to work on time.

With that said, I live on a rural county road and often see what I can only describe as "unnecessary snow removal". For instance, plows salted my road at about 9:00 last night. There was no snow, no real chance of snow, and no ice to speak of. I've also noticed my road actually being plowed during a "dusting" (where a miniscule amount of snow is merely swirling about the street).

Before I make a call to complain about what I presume to be workers milking their overtime pay, I'd love to gain the perspective of someone who actually plows snow around here.

Are there drivers who "milk the system"?
What/who determines when there is enough snow/ice to begin plowing?
How is the whole process initiated?
Is there a specific route that is followed such that overlap is minimized?

I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd love to know the answers to those questions. I'm most curious to know how much we taxpayers spend on unnecessary overtime pay for snow plowers....

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

I genuinely appreciate the work that our snow plow drivers do. They work the worst possible hours (graveyard, xmas eve, etc) through rather dangerous conditions just to make sure we can get to work on time.

With that said, I live on a rural county road and often see what I can only describe as "unnecessary snow removal". For instance, plows salted my road at about 9:00 last night. There was no snow, no real chance of snow, and no ice to speak of. I've also noticed my road actually being plowed during a "dusting" (where a miniscule amount of snow is merely swirling about the street).

Before I make a call to complain about what I presume to be workers milking their overtime pay, I'd love to gain the perspective of someone who actually plows snow around here.

Are there drivers who "milk the system"?
What/who determines when there is enough snow/ice to begin plowing?
How is the whole process initiated?
Is there a specific route that is followed such that overlap is minimized?

I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd love to know the answers to those questions. I'm most curious to know how much we taxpayers spend on unnecessary overtime pay for snow plowers....

First it has to be determined if working at night is overtime. One would think that the county would hire drivers who's regular shift is the 11-7am. Thus when there is regular work at night it does not cost OT. Maybe this shift gets paid more then a day shift but it should not be considered OT.

If this is not the case and every man on the snow removal crew is slotted for day shift and gets OT after 3pm....well that is just waste. In fact, one would think that the regular shift for the snow removal crew would be at night as that is when the most production in removal could be done because of less traffic.

[Yorku]

First it has to be determined if working at night is overtime. One would think that the county would hire drivers who's regular shift is the 11-7am. Thus when there is regular work at night it does not cost OT. Maybe this shift gets paid more then a day shift but it should not be considered OT.

If this is not the case and every man on the snow removal crew is slotted for day shift and gets OT after 3pm....well that is just waste. In fact, one would think that the regular shift for the snow removal crew would be at night as that is when the most production in removal could be done because of less traffic.

You bring up a good point. I guess I've always assumed that they graveyard shift plowers are collecting overtime. I know a lot of those guys already drive municipal equipment (garbage trucks, dump trucks, etc), so I have to imagine plowing is often done in addition to their day-to-day duties.

[NoCtUrNaL]

Who here hasn't seen, at least once in their life, a public snow removal vehicle plowing a street and throwing more sparks then snow?

There is no accountability in government, just degrees of plausible deniability.