HARRISBURG, Pa. — Like many businesses and agencies currently in need of workers, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is struggling to hire enough employees, both seasonal and permanent.
Autumn has only just begun, and PennDOT is already hiring for the snow season.
The agency usually hires 150 seasonal workers each winter. So far this year, less than 30 positions have been filled, according to PennDOT spokesperson Fritzi Schreffler.
“Whether that’s the plow drivers or mechanics in the garage, we definitely are looking for people, especially with the winter starting,” Schreffler said.
District 8 already has 60 vacancies for permanent positions, according to Schreffler. Now they need another 40 temporary CDL drivers before the snow arrives, though some of those positions could become permanent.
If the agency can’t find enough workers, it will have to prioritize larger, busier roads, such as interstate highways. Less-trafficked roads could remain unplowed for longer.
“That does not mean that your road is not going to be treated,” Schreffler said. “But if we have a heavy snowstorm we may have to move some of our plows to some of those priority routes.”
Seasonal PennDOT jobs run from November to March. Starting pay for CDL drivers is $19.24 an hour.
PennDOT is hosting a series of recruiting events through October.
