Manchester DPW drivers take first place in regional Snowplow ‘Roadeo,’ head to Colorado

BOXBOROUGH, MASS. – Nobody in New England understands the nuances of snow plowing like the city’s award-winning Department of Public Works.

You read that right,

Two of Manchester’s DPW drivers on July 26 took first place at the New England Snowplow “Roadeo,” sponsored by the New England chapter of the American Public Works Association (NEAPWA).

Shawn Maurice, who has been plowing with the city for 31 years, teamed up with Chris Belanger, a 23-year DPW veteran.  Both are third-generation public works employees in Manchester.

“My grandfather was his father’s boss,” Belanger said of Maurice.

The duo scored 2100 out of 2400 possible points between two events. The Mechanically Defective Truck event tested the driver’s observatory awareness in spotting defects to plow, vehicle and safety equipment. The second event involved a snowplow slalom course, driving a Mac 10-ton 6-wheeler equipped with an 18-foot wide plow, simulating roadway and driving situations encountered during the operation of a snow event.

When asked what are some of the biggest challenges they face plowing New England snow in a city, Belanger and Maurice noted traffic and changing weather conditions that require the fleet to continually retreat the roads due to melting and refreezing.

As first-place winners, Maurice and Belanger will represent Manchester at an all-expense paid trip by the NEAPWA to the National Snow “Roadeo” being held in Loveland, Colorado, September 27-29. The national competition will offer five events covering single-axle snow plow, tandem axle snow plow, loader, grader and skid steer.