Snowplow driver gets more accolades than cold shoulders

As the rest of us hunkered down during the most recent winter blast last weekend, John Gavurnik jumped into a truck and battled the elements for 12 hours.

The DuPage County equipment operator has wrangled blizzards in his trusty snowplow for four years.

He's endured ice storms, a shovel attack, rude hand gestures and the Sisyphean frustration of having to do it all over again.

Gavurnik, 38, is also this month's Someone to Know in transportation.

Mechanically inclined, Gavurnik admits to three cars at home - a '69 Road Runner he's restored, a '57 Oldsmobile and a '57 Chrysler he's fixing up.

But when the going gets tough, Gavurnik takes to his 55,000-pound Sterling truck. Equipped with a front plow and side wing plow, it's capable of clearing 18 feet of roadway.

We caught up with the Lombard native at the county's division of transportation for a quick chat between shifts on Feb. 20, just before 6 inches of so of snow hit the region.

Gavurnik's day started by pre-treating bridges and curved roads with Geomelt, an environmentally friendly product made out of beets, that helps prevent icing.

Then it was home, where he lives with his wife, 5-year-old son and their pet boxer for a quick nap before heading back to work around midnight.

Q. What is the hardest part of your job?

A. One of the most challenging things is keeping the public safe. Car drivers don't understand that our trucks don't stop very fast, they don't steer very fast, they don't take off very fast and they have a lot of weight.

Other drivers usually hinder our progress. They don't realize it's better off staying behind. Although the trucks can't go more than 30 mph to 35 mph, there may be 3 to 4 inches of snow in front of them. After we pass, it's clear.

Q. Is there a difference between snowfalls?

A. The heavier snow - you can feel it - you've got to have more rpm. But the light and fluffy snow isn't always best for us either. The truck has no problem pushing it but it blows back on the road.

The other problem is drifting on days when it's windy and you'll have a foot of snow near open areas. You may push it back but it will blow right back on the road. Until the wind dies down, it's a battle.

The most frustrating thing is when you're all done with the route and the snow starts again. So you start in the center again, pushing the snow out to the curb all over again.

Q. What's one of the worst weather experiences you've had?

A. (Two months ago) we had rain that flash-froze and turned to ice. I started work at 2 a.m. and by 3:30, the roads were a sheet of ice. I couldn't even get that heavy truck up a slight incline.

Q. What sort of problems do other drivers cause?

A. They ride too close behind the truck so I don't see them in the rearview mirror. I've had guys pass me on the right to take a left-handed turn in front of me.

Q. What do you like about your job?

A. I've always liked working with the public. I like keeping the roads safe. I like getting in there and really seeing the results of what you do.

Q. Do you hate snow?

A. It's harder to plan your schedule with family and friends around the weather. But I can't say I hate the snow.

Q. How do you cope with 12-hour shifts?

A. It goes by quickly when you've got something to do. I tune into a good station or I have my mp3 player and switch between that and the weather. I bring a picnic basket with chips, sandwiches, hot soup and coffee. Pretzels are good at night.

We get breaks but you don't want to leave the route too long. If we sit too long it gets out of hand.

Q. What's the deal with snowplows and mailboxes?

A. It's not the plow hitting the mailbox - it's the snow coming off the plow that takes out the mailbox.

Q. Have you had any bad experiences with the public, such as obscene gestures?

A. All the time. People honk their horns or they'll get in front of us and jam their brakes. They're constantly trying to maneuver their way around us any way they can. It's not safe to do that at all.

One guy came out once and hit one of our trucks with a shovel - he was so mad (after the plow left snow in his driveway). Then he apologized. We asked, 'What did you do that for?' He said, 'I'm so sorry, I just got back from working all day and I now I have to shovel my own driveway.'

Q. How do you clean your driveway?

A. I have a snowblower. That definitely makes things easier.

Q. What about positive feedback?

A. There are a lot of people who do thank us. I remember a guy with low-profile tires who couldn't get around a curve in the road. People were trying to push him out and there were 10 cars behind him. I got in front of him and spread a lot of salt so he got through. He was very appreciative. More people are appreciative than not.

Q. Any last words?

A. Just remember to give the snowplow drivers a break - it's for your benefit.