A Plea From Plow Drivers: Be Patient, Give Us Space

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The work seems never-ending for Deanna Fritz's plow business this week.

"I have slept for about 6 hours in the last three days," she said Wednesday, the third day in a row snow fell in the Twin Cities.

Fritz's crews from Uptown Lawn and Snow serve 450 homeowners and businesses. She says it isn't the amount of snow this week that makes the work difficult.

"A lot of these snowfalls have been over extended periods of time, which makes it very difficult," Fritz said. "Everyone wants to be cleared right when they get home from work or right when they leave in the morning."

Plow driver Rob Lemna has been dealing with similar challenges clearing highways for MnDOT.

"It takes longer [this week] because it is one after another, not one big storm," he said.

Lemna works 12 hour shifts when it snows. It means that during rough weather he's away from his children and wife.

"Unfortunately, when it snows, she gets stuck with everything," he said.

One thing plow drivers ask from the public is time. Patience helps them do their job thoroughly and safely.

"Just give us time and let us do our job safely," Lemna said.

MnDOT says there have been more than 30 crashes this winter involving snowplows. In most cases, they happened as drivers tried to go around their trucks.

The best advice is stay back.