Minnesota's Name-a-Snowplow has become a wintertime tradition. This year's submissions are now open

Tim Harlow, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Dec 11, 2024

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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Name-A-Snowplow contest is back, and the public continues to eat it up.

“Five years and still going strong,” said MnDOT spokeswoman Anne Meyer. “We hear about it all year long. We know there is interest out there. People enjoy the contest.”

The agency started the naming contest as a way to bring levity to winter after seeing an article in “Roadshow” explaining how Scotland names its entire snowplow fleet and posts maps showing their locations. Scotland calls the vehicles “gritters,” the article said, which led to witty handles such as “Gritney Spears” and “Gritty Gritty Bang Bang.”

Over the first four years, Minnesotans and even those from afar with access to a computer have submitted thousands of winter-themed monikers with references to sports teams, pop culture and clever puns specific to the North Star state. A MnDOT committee takes the ideas and winnows the list down to about 50, which then appear on a ballot for the public to vote on. That will happen in January, Meyer said.

Names that get the most votes then are applied to one of MnDOT’s plows in each of its eight districts. So far, 35 carry names such as “Taylor Drift,” “Clearopathra,” “Plowy McPlowFace,” “Betty Whiteout” and " “Ctrl, Salt, Delete.” MnDOT staff also gave names to three additional plows, Giiwedin-the North Wind; Goonodaabaan-Snow Vehicle, and Icamna-Blizzard in acknowledgement of the highways the state plows adjacent to tribal lands.

This year’s submission period began Tuesday and runs through Dec. 20.

Don’t be surprised if the contest returns for a sixth year, Meyer said.

“We have 800 plows, so we still have a lot to name,” she said.

MnDOT is believed to be one of the first agencies to hold a name-the-plow contest, and other agencies from across the state and the nation has followed its lead.

“We will take the flattery,” Meyer said.

Fun is great, Meyer said, but there is a bigger takeaway as MnDOT typically has 100 of its plows hit every winter, Meyer said.

“People are getting involved and it highlights the work we do every year, clearing snow and ice,” Meyer said. “Hopefully people will drive safely around them.”