Syracuse’s snowplow operations might be the most prepared in years to tackle snow events like the burst of lake effect on Thursday. Mayor Ben Walsh said he’s worked hard over his eight years in office to buy trucks and hire drivers. When he took office in 2018, Walsh said they had only about a dozen big plows to clear more than 400 miles of road. Now they have 20 and recently hired several drivers who are getting some intense on-the-job training.
“We have a lot of new drivers out there. It is daunting. It's scary," Walsh said. "We've had new drivers go through one storm and say, 'this is not for me.' And I don't blame them. You're driving a very large vehicle under difficult conditions, and it's not for everybody. So it's not only getting the drivers, it's getting them experience.”
It’s early in the season, so Walsh said those drivers will have plenty more time to improve their skills. He added there are still openings for drivers and mechanics.
