Driver Shortages Could Slow Andover Plowing Of Winter Storm

ANDOVER, MA — Every Andover road will get plowed Saturday, but cleanup at the end of the winter storm will take longer than in the past due to a shortage of snow plow contractors, Public Works Director Christopher Cronin said Thursday.

"It used to be, the roads would be clean within two hours after the last snowflake," Cronin said. "It's going to be a longer time to clean up at the end of the storm."

Andover could get over a foot of snow Saturday, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

Andover has roughly 40 town employees who will be involved in road cleanup, but it doesn't have as many contractors in the past, just like many other communities across the state.

"There was time there were plenty of people who had trucks that wanted to keep busy during the winter," Cronin said. "It's become difficult for the last few years."

A perfect storm has conspired to cause the driver shortage, the public works director said. The trucks themselves have gotten more expensive, as has the cost of insurance. At the same time, the workforce has aged, and over the last year, the tight labor market has further depleted the potential driver pool as workers.

"It's catching up to us," Cronin said. "We're paying more, but we're competing, of course, with other communities in the area, all fighting for the same people."

But the effect will mostly be on cleanup at the end of the storm, he said.

"We will have equipment on every road and emergency equipment will be able to get through at all times," he said. "It may be longer between passes between vehicles, and at the end, it will take longer for the roads to get cleaned up after the storm."

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.