Gov. Baker: MassDOT Used Lessons From 2015 Blizzards To Fight Latest Storms
BOSTON (CBS) -- Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker praised the work of MassDOT Monday morning in clearing the roads and railways of the Commonwealth after the latest storm dumped several more inches of snow across the area.
"A lot of these folks have been working pretty hard since last Wednesday," Gov. Baker told WBZ NewsRadio 1030. "I think the good news here is that people learned a lot from our experiences in '15."
He said one major factor in the difference between the response to the 2015 blizzards and the weekend storm was that MassDOT had re-structured their shifts.
"Instead of people just staying until they burned out, people are literally working on a schedule here and that schedule's set in advance, to make sure that you always have fresh faces coming into those emergency operations centers every 8-10 hours," he said.
Baker also credited the MBTA's use of bolt-on plows and other equipment during off-hours to clear snow from tracks.
"I do think the decision we made last week to encourage people to stay home helped a lot, and I think the late start this morning will help as well," he said.
With the last week of snowstorms, Baker said he found it hard to imagine the state would go through the rest of the year without asking for an additional supplement to the snowfighting budget.
Listen to Gov. Baker on WBZ NewsRadio 1030
