PennDOT Seeks Winter Road Crew: Seasonal Hires Eye Permanent Careers
District 4 Recruiting Nearly 100 for Winter Maintenance Program
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is actively recruiting for its winter maintenance program, offering seasonal positions with the potential for long-term career advancement. District 4, encompassing Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, is looking to fill approximately 100 roles.
Opportunities Abound for Skilled Workers
Positions available include transportation equipment operators requiring commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), diesel and construction equipment mechanics, auto mechanics, laborers, and radio dispatchers. These roles are crucial for maintaining the district’s vast network of roads and bridges throughout the winter months.
According to **Lonell Tomaine**, assistant district executive for maintenance, the agency is anticipating numerous retirements in the coming years. “It’s extremely important for us to actively recruit and develop our employees,” **Tomaine** stated. “PennDOT anticipates numerous retirements over the next several years, so it’s extremely important for us to actively recruit and develop our employees. Working for PennDOT is not just a job, it’s a career.”
Competitive Wages and Benefits Offered
The department is emphasizing the career path available to seasonal employees. Benefits include health, vision, and dental coverage, as well as wellness programs. Seasonal staff are also eligible for shift differentials, overtime pay, and the chance to bid on permanent openings.
Hourly rates for the upcoming season are set at $28.37 for diesel and construction equipment mechanics, $24.97 for auto mechanics, $23.00 for Transportation Equipment/CDL operators, and $17.38 for dispatchers.
District 4 manages nearly 4,000 toll and road miles, 8,500 civilian miles, and over 2,000 bridges. On average, the district utilizes 100,000 tons of salt and more than one million gallons of brine for road treatment annually. This underscores the vital nature of these positions.
Hiring Begins Soon for Critical Winter Operations
“It’s very important that we have the operators waiting and ready to go when they’re needed,”
explained **Carl Kmiec**, a PennDOT field human resource officer for District 4. “They will start the first week of September. Whether there is snow on the ground or not, there is work available for them.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an average annual wage of $51,420 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Pennsylvania as of May 2023, highlighting the earning potential in transportation roles (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Information Sessions Available for Applicants
To assist potential applicants, PennDOT is hosting information sessions at each county office and the district office on Tuesdays from noon to 5 p.m. These events will provide opportunities to ask questions and receive help with online applications.
Interested individuals can apply for open positions by visiting governmentjobs.com/careers.
