ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. – The St. Joseph County Highway Division is changing snowplow routes this winter in response to a nationwide driver shortage.

The highway division is currently operating with a 20% reduction in staff.

Because of fewer highway staff, fewer plow trucks will be on the roads, increasing the length of time it takes to clear roads.

Despite this, however, all roads that were previously plowed will still be plowed.

“When mapping out the snowplow routes, we have to prioritize the highest travelled roads first,” said County Engineer Sky Medors. “This worker shortage is frustrating for everyone, and I hope that our residents understand we will get to their roads as quickly as we possibly can without sacrificing the safety of our drivers, or the travelling public at large.”

Currently, the county has nine full-time and 13 seasonal part-time positions open.

The County Highway Division is hosting open interviews for full-time and part-time snowplow drivers on Thursday, November 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Riverside Garage, located at 3301 Riverside Drive in South Bend.

Applications can be completed and submitted here.