This Surprising Winter Trend Turns Snowplows Into Local Celebrities

Winter weather means you might end up driving behind a snowplow that's clearing the highway, or you're keeping an eye out for the local plow to come down your street to clear a path—possibly blocking your driveway in the process.

As snowplows head out to keep roadways clear, it's become important for cities and states to keep track of their routes and schedules, while also engaging the local community in a little fun that brings attention to the hard work that their snow removal teams do.

If you weren't aware, many locations—even beyond the United States—have names for their local snowplows and other devices, and they can range from sweet to super quirky. Take Scotland, for example, who have named its salt trucks silly puns like Lord Coldemort and I Want to Break Freeze to break up the monotony of winter weather tasks.

Where Do Plows Get Their Names?

One of the biggest sources for snowplow names is you! Yes, many snowplow removal departments have turned to residents in recent years as part of naming contests to get people interested and involved in the snow removal process for their area.

Departments will start by asking the public for suggestions for names before narrowing it down to a select number of finalists for residents to vote on, before announcing the chosen names.

One of the earliest adopters of this snowplow name selection may have been Transport Scotland, which began its competition in 2006 by asking Scottish primary school children for suggestions. Now, states across the country hold their own competitions to get names for their snowplows. In Minnesota, the state's inaugural competition in 2020 got more than 24,000 suggestions.

It can be a fun winter activity, but municipalities also find it's a good way to bring attention to the work done by snow removal teams.

"By engaging the community in naming our hardworking snowplows, we aim to foster awareness of the dedication and effort that goes into maintaining our roadways, while also building a deeper appreciation for the men and women who operate these vehicles through snowstorms and icy challenges," according to the website for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.

What's in a Name?

Winning names can be great snowy puns or celebrity pun names, and some are inspired by local landmarks or residents.

Common names for snowplows include Darth Blader, Scoop Dogg, or Blizzard of Oz to have a snowy nod to the entertainment industry. Weather-specific names are also good options, like Fresh Plowder, Blizzard, or Drift Master.

But residents can also have fun with local references that make snowplow naming extra special for people who are in on the joke. Colorado residents, for example, named one of their snowplows Eisenplower after the Eisenhower Tunnel that runs through the Rocky Mountains and is cleaned by Eisenplower when it snows.

In Minnesota, one snowplow's name is a nod to singer Prince, who lived in Minneapolis. The Truck Formerly Known as Plow is a reference to Prince's time as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Michigan, which is known as the Mitten State because it's shaped like a mitten, has Mitten Muscle, Mitten Mover, and Frostbitten Mitten.

And in New Hampshire, residents leaned into their local lingo by naming a snowplow Wicked Plowah.