A snow plow leaves Springfield city yards on Tapley street are crews prepared for the snow storm. Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD - While people around the region are cursing cloudy skies and October rain, those responsible for clearing roads, highways, and parking lots during the winter are looking ahead to the first sign of snow.

Winter is technically two months away, but state and municipal highway directors and even local business owners are busy looking for people willing to work as snowplow drivers or on removal crews. After a winter where multiple municipalities reported not having enough people to help with the dig-out, the search is on right now to have people lined up before the inevitable first flake falls.

Not to go all “Game of Thrones” on you, but whether you admit it or not, winter is coming.

People driving on state highways recently may have noticed digital road signs along the side of the road advertising for snowplow drivers.

Massachusetts Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kristen Pennucci said this is the time of year when the DOT because to contract snowplow operators, or to use their term, “snow and ice vendors” needed to keep state roads and highways clear.

“Every year in the fall, MassDOT advertises statewide on (message boards) boards to ensure there is sufficient equipment and plow drivers for the coming winter months,” she said.

This year, the DOT is increasing its base hourly pay rate by 20% for vehicles and by 10% to 20% for attachments and accessors.

But before anyone starts dusting off the plow attachment for their 4X4 pickup, the agency, as it notes on its webpage, typically looks to hire “equipment that is of significant size to be effective. MassDOT also prefers larger snow plows for the interstate highways.”

A large dump truck with a gross weight of up to 16,000 pounds and a 9-foot plow has an hourly base-rate of $103 per hour. A 6-cylinder loader has a base rate of $184 per hour.

To be a driver, the state sets two deadlines. The first, when applicants need to submit paperwork including vehicle registration, is Friday. The deadline for equipment inspections and calibrations is Nov. 5. For more information, go to the Mass DOT website.

The department does not have a target number for equipment and operators, she said. “We take all qualified vendors and use them as needed depending on the snow event.”

In Holyoke, interim Department of Publics Words superintendent Amie Chrzanowski that the city has already mailed out is driver packets to contractors in advance of the first storm.

" Generally we mail packets out to everyone that has worked with us within the past 5 years. Most do come back year after year,” she said. “We are open to new applicants (and) we do have new contractors that have already called interested in this year.”

Holyoke has increased its rates as it does every year but she did not say what they were.

Neighboring communities keep track of snow removal rates, she said. “We try to stay competitive as we are one of the larger cities in the area.”

The shortage of drivers is not just affecting the public sector. The private sector is anticipating problems.

Pioneer Landscaping of Easthampton, which clears snow from residential properties and commercial parking lots, is having a hard time finding drivers.

The company has begun advertising for drivers now to avoid being stuck with the same shortage as last winter, said company spokeswoman Melissa Riel.

“It’s the same thing as last year. We can’t find anyone to work,” she said. “Just in general, never mind in the snow.”

Pioneer Landscaping had been advertising on-call snow removal jobs, both as drivers and as ground crews, starting at $22 an hour. Because of a lack of interest, that has now been bumped up to $30 an hour for the ground crew and up to $45 for plow drivers.

The company has all the equipment needed to do the job, but needs bodies to operate it, she said. “If someone has their own truck, that would be great, but we provide the equipment.”

The company is looking for at least 10 more people, she said.

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