Community Corner

Road Commission Seeks Part-Time Snowplow Drivers

Written by John McKay

The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) is seeking to hire 42 part-time snowplow drivers to augment its reduced full-time staff for the winter this year.

“We have reduced our staff more than 35 percent in the last six years, and many of the workers we have lost served as snowplow drivers in the winter,” Managing Director Dennis Kolar said. “The reality is we cannot afford to replace the full-time employees we have lost, but we also cannot provide the level of service our customers deserve with just the remaining full-time staff."

He noted hiring the temporary, part-time employees was a compromise that he hopes will allow the agency to maintain a reasonable level of snow response service for the winter. 

Find out what's happening in Oakland Township-Lake Orionwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“This will not allow us to return to the level of service we were able to provide six years ago,” Kolar said. “But we hope it will enable us to provide a higher level of service than we otherwise would have.”

According to Kolar, RCOC has fewer full-time employees than at any time since at least 1962.

Find out what's happening in Oakland Township-Lake Orionwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In order to be considered for one of the part-time positions, anyone interested must have a current and valid Michigan Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with an “A” endorsement. The part-time employees may work at least two days per week and will be on call throughout the winter for day, night and weekend work as needed.

Paid training and introductory orientation will be provided. The position pays $17 per hour and duties include snow-storm road plowing and salting and other road-maintenance functions.

Those selected for hire will be required to pass a pre-employment driving-skill assessment and a post-offer physical exam and drug screening. Driving histories will be reviewed.

Anyone interested can apply online for one of the positions at the Road Commission’s Web site, www.rcocweb.org (select “Job Postings” from the row of tabs at the top of the homepage, then click “Application Form,” fill out the form and click “submit”).


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Oakland Township-Lake Orion