South Dakota DOT holds snowplow training event ahead of winter

The South Dakota Department of Transportation held its bi-yearly Snowfighter Roadeo in Rapid City to get snowplow drivers ready for the upcoming winter season.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation held its bi-yearly Snowfighter Roadeo in Rapid City to get snowplow drivers ready for the upcoming winter season. The event featured a course with cones and poles that drivers navigate, designed to mirror real situations they may face on the road. "It gives them the opportunity to understand how wide the trucks are," said Ryon Schimke of SDDOT. "Also how long the trucks are and where we can get them in and out of with the cones being our safe barriers instead of vehicles or guardrails." Participants are graded on their ability to avoid hitting the cones, with judges stationed at each stop along the course. Drivers receive a final score at the end of the event to determine the winners. The South Dakota Department of Transportation says the event also gives drivers a chance to connect with colleagues they don't often see. "Our drivers are kind of spread out at different shops that they don't always get to talk to each other and learn from each other," said Craig Smith, division director of operations for SDDOT. "So getting them together, they enjoy that kind of camaraderie of getting with their peers along with the friendly competition to see who's coming out on top." SDDOT holds these competitions across the state. The top five finishers from each event advance to a finale in Pierre. The event has been part of SDDOT for more than 25 years.