For this time of year, the weather has been pretty delightful. The Kansas Department of Transportation, however, is needing help for when the weather gets frightful.
For about a month, KDOT has been requesting help as staffing shortages have hit the agency statewide. Regionally, the need is high near Emporia — but higher elsewhere in northeast and east central Kansas. Transportation engineer Steve Baalman explains:
Baalman tells KVOE News staffing shortages have been ongoing for several years, but not to this degree. In recent past, KDOT has been able to “make do,” but he says the response times will be longer this winter if people don’t sign on — and that may mean more emphasis on the Kansas Turnpike or Interstates and less emphasis on two-lane state highways like Kansas Highway 99, K-130, K-170 or K-177, to name several.
Residents can go online to www.ksdot.org for information or find the Department of Transportation on Facebook. Baalman says the department mainly needs equipment operators — snowplow drivers — and road maintenance personnel. Baalman says KDOT will train potential drivers who do not have classified drivers licenses.
