Plow drivers navigate long hours, narrow streets and upset residents on Sandy bench

SANDY, Utah — Amid record snowfall, it’s been an incredibly taxing year for plow drivers across the Wasatch Front who have worked long hours and overtime to keep the streets clear.

Still, the plows are not always welcomed.

“Yeah, got a lot of horror stories,” said Chad Turner, a crew leader with Sandy City. “I’ve been threatened I couldn’t tell you how many times with my life.”

Turner said he’s been yelled at numerous times, had items thrown at his plow truck, even had angry people stand in the way of the plow’s path.

“I get some pretty upset residents with me that don’t understand,” Turner told KSL TV.

Turner said a lot of the frustration centers around snow being pushed back against driveways as crews clear paths down narrow streets, which are in plentiful supply along the Sandy bench.

“I really wish people would understand that we have a job and that’s to clear the road for police, fire and ambulances, delivery people,” Turner said. “We’re just trying to keep the roads safe for everybody.”

The job alone, Turner said, can be very challenging navigating narrow, steep streets.

“Earlier today, I was in one of my steep circles and I started sliding down it sideways,” Turner said.

He said he has been on-call at least 55 times to plow roads this winter, adding up to nearly 200 hours of extra work.

“I probably go about 160 miles in my one little area,” Turner said, noting that the workload quickly stacks up across several neighborhoods.

Turner said he started his day Tuesday at 2 a.m. and was still working at 4 p.m.

He urged others to have patience with drivers and also to do as the city has urged — to keep vehicles off the streets for the plows.

Sandy police warn, cite owners as they aim to keep cars off streets during winter storms

“You’ll see many, many cars parked on the road,” Turner shrugged.

Though it has been an extremely long winter for Turner and his colleagues, he said he loved what he did and takes pride in the good relationships he has built with numerous residents over the years.

“If I could do it again, I would probably really like to work here,” Turner said. “We’re honestly out here trying to help (people).”