Moorhead preparing for winter with snowplow training

 Snow plow drivers are getting ready for the long hours they'll be behind the wheel.

MOORHEAD, Minn.- There’s not much time left until we see snow falling.

The city of Moorhead is preparing by conducting pre–season snow removal training.

Snow plow drivers went through an obstacle course as part of training for the upcoming snow season.

“It’s a serpentine they’re going to have to weave in and out and I believe we have some hockey pucks that they’re going to have to drop down and push with the snow blades for some training along the curve line,” says Moorhead Public Works Director Steve Moore.

Snowplow drivers also received orientation on the snow route plans.

“We’ve done some in–class training where the street crew chiefs give a briefing on how procedures are going to work in the winter and then we do a walk around and we train the operators on how to inspect the equipment,” he says.

Their goal is for the snow to not intervene in the daily life of Moorhead residents.

“If we can get out there timely so the schools are not shut down, you know we can keep our roads open, it’s just better for everybody to keep everything moving,” says City of Moorhead Worker Dave Delong.

He asks the Moorhead residents to slow down and give some distance to plow trucks.

“If we’re out there plowing the primaries. Everybody is trying to come into work, everybody is trying to get home try not to pass the plows give them the room they need stay back that 15 feet, that 100 feet so the truck has the ability to see you behind you so give us room to do our job and it just makes it easier for everybody,” he says.

The city has seven snowplows, three motor graders and three pay loaders out ready to go once the white stuff starts falling.

After the training, operators went through the zones and residential areas to learn how to run them.