Snowplow Operator Driving Time: Survey of State and Local Practices

In February 2015, Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) issued interim guidance for continuous working hours for UDOT’s snowplow operators. Letter of Instruction 15-1 specified the number of hours that could be worked by snowplow operators and the approval required for certain shift lengths. This research examines best practices for snowplow operator driving time to inform development of a formal policy that will replace the Letter of Instruction 15-1 interim guidance. The major tasks of this research include a literature search that gathered information about the implications of driving time, rest breaks and other driving time policies with a focus on commercial motor vehicle drivers and snowplow operators. Two surveys—one provided to 39 state departments of transportation and another distributed to 20 specially selected UDOT region staff—gathered information about current snowplow operator driving time practices across the country and within UDOT. Recommendations for UDOT’s consideration in preparing a formal policy for snowplow operator driving time include establishing 12-hour shifts given the successes reported by survey respondents; establishing different shift limits for emergency conditions; including breaks in the operator’s work schedule; specifying a minimum rest period between shifts that accommodates long commute times for drivers; identifying ways to remediate staffing challenges; considering reducing the level of service during extended storm events; managing public expectations; allowing for flexibility at the area, region or station level; and monitoring the impact of the new policy.

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• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/31137
• Corporate Authors:

  CTC & Associates LLC

  4805 Goldfinch Drive
  Madison, WI  United States  53714

  Utah Department of Transportation

  4501 South 2700 West
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84114-8410

  Department of Transportation

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Kline, C F
• Publication Date: 2016-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Tables;
• Pagination: 110p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Best practices; Hours of labor; Literature reviews; Operators (Persons); Recommendations; Rest periods; Snowplows; State departments of transportation; Surveys
• Identifier Terms: Utah Department of Transportation
• Geographic Terms: Utah
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01610803
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UT-16.06
• Contract Numbers: 16-8371
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 21 2016 2:40PM