Waterloo Region’s snow plow drivers put their skills to the test

Snow won’t be falling for a few months, but the region’s best plow operators are being put to the test. CTV’s Karis Mapp explains.

We may still be celebrating summer, but Waterloo Region’s snow plow operators were put through their paces to show they’re ready to respond when winter returns.

Snow plow drivers gathered in Heidelberg, a community northwest of the City of Waterloo, for the annual Truck ‘Roadeo’ hosted by the Transportation Professionals of Waterloo Region.

Twenty-four people who work throughout the region’s municipalities tested their skills in a series of simulations mimicking situations they may face when the snow starts to fall.

“This is a competition that showcases their skill, their driving ability, their spatial awareness behind the wheel,” Nathan Herrington, Cambridge’s supervisor of roads, explained. “It’s a fun team-builder activity that also gives back to our operators in the region.”

Bright orange pylons dotted the Roadeo space, testing how accurately drivers could maneuver the truck.

Drivers also pulled into an ‘inspection station’ and had to spot defects on trucks.

“You start with a perfect score. When you get to each station, they take points off for mistakes,” competitor James Whittaker said.

Steve Schroder said he’s been part of the friendly competition for rough 20 years. Last year, he claimed second place.

“It can be stressful, but I just go and have fun,” Schroder said. “We all do everything a little differently, so it’s nice to see how everybody else does it.”

For Corrine Sweetin, who has been competing for three years, driving trucks with three sets of wheels is another hurdle.

“I’m [usually] in what’s called a single axle and it’s a much smaller truck and it has a different turn radius as opposed to these with the tandem axles,” she said.

While the competition is intense, many drivers said the event is a great way to reconnect with others they don’t often see.

Kris Paynter was this year’s winner, making him a back-to-back champion.

“[It’s] kind of surreal,” he said. “There’s a lot of competition here. Different yards, different municipalities. It’s a lot of talent here, so to pull that off is quite a feat.”

The top two finalists will be representing the region at a provincial competition.

“I think I finished around middle of the pack, and I was proud of myself for doing that,” reflected Paynter on last year’s provincial competition. “The course is much tighter. It’s much more stringent rules, and it’s the best of Ontario, basically.”

This year’s provincials will be held on September 24 in Carleton Place, southwest of Ottawa.

Second place winner Darby Lehmann will not only be attending but will also be making history as the first woman ever to compete on a provincial level.

“It’s just overwhelming and insane,” she said after learning about the accomplishment.

“Obviously it’s a competition but at the end of the day, it’s also for fun and the main goal is to test yourself. I didn’t think I would ever end up going to provincials.”