Last winter, PennDOT District 9 ran 23 short of fully staffed operators, risking a decline in farming productivity as it struggled to keep its 6,000 miles of highway clear.

This year, due to accelerated hiring, the region reached 381 permanent operators; but still 40 short of reaching the 100-season operator target.

According to department officials, the district was able to get all the permanent operators it needed this year with the help of a recruiter, representation at career fairs and recruiting events, assisting applicants with the hiring process and a state-mandated salary increase. Annual District 9 pre-winter press conference on Wednesday.

“We spent a lot of time last year re-branding,” said Regional Manager Vince Greenland. “I believe in encouraging people to go out and talk to people.”

Greenland said such recruiting efforts occur statewide, but there is a particular focus in Region 9, which covers Blair, Cambria, Bedford, Huntingdon, Fulton and Somerset counties.

He said the hiring targets not only operators but also mechanics and engineers.

According to Assistant Regional Manager for Maintenance Dave Kammerer, the primary requirement for operators is a commercial driver’s license.

Permanent operators work year-round.

In summer, the final coat is applied and drainage works are carried out.

Operators also operate excavators and backhoes.

Kammerer said seasonal operators can sometimes transition to permanent operators depending on seniority.

Permanent operators earn between $43,000 and $52,000 a year, according to District 9 spokesman Jay Knarr.

Seasonal operators earn $22.50 per hour.

The region has 220 plow trucks, meaning 440 drivers are needed to handle two 12-hour shifts during storms for maximum efficiency, according to Greenland.

Kammerer said if there aren’t enough drivers at a given time, the district resorts to overtime or trucks don’t hit the road.

He said the district began winter preparations immediately after the last one was finished.

Over the past several months, that work has included installing and calibrating spreaders and checking the hydraulic hoses that allow drivers to control the plows, he said.

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During the press conference, Kammerer offered some travel tips to help drivers and their passengers stay safe this winter.

Drivers should keep an emergency kit in their vehicles, he said, and before winter they should make sure their wipers are working, their tires have plenty of spin and their fluids are topped up.

In bad weather conditions, drivers should stay off the roads as much as possible. He recommended those who must drive to check out the travel advisories available by calling 511pa or 511.

Kammerer also gave reminders about removing ice and snow from vehicles before setting off. Drivers should also turn on their headlights, drive slowly, maintain adequate distance between their vehicle and the vehicle in front and give plow trucks plenty of room, he said.

He warned that drivers should also be wary of black ice that looks like wet pavement.

Kammerer said PennDOT tries to keep roads “safe and passable” and not necessarily “bare and wet,” which isn’t practical or fiscally responsible.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler at 814-949-7038.