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Lawmakers, PennDOT discuss staffing shortages, winter costs and maintenance strain on county crews
Summary
Members told PennDOT the department faces uneven staffing and CDL shortages that affect maintenance response and summer projects; Carroll said winter spending is already exceeding budgets and that prior fleet investments were made using recently decoupled funds.
Lawmakers from suburban and rural districts told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 20 that PennDOT district maintenance offices are understaffed and struggling to recruit and retain CDL drivers and heavy‑equipment operators.
Representatives from the collar counties described high vacancy rates in maintenance ranks — in some districts staffing is about 70% of target — and said local governments can sometimes outcompete PennDOT on wages and benefits for similar roles. Several lawmakers asked whether regional pay adjustments, tax credits, or changes to liquid fuels allocations might help close recruitment gaps.
Carroll acknowledged the problem and said PennDOT has been aggressive in recruitment — advertising openings and attending job fairs — and that the department is investing in fleet replacement and equipment funded through recent budget decoupling to support maintenance productivity. He noted that PennDOT’s winter maintenance budget is expected to be exceeded this year because severe winter conditions have driven higher salt, overtime and equipment use; that excess work will reduce funds available for summer maintenance projects unless offset by additional budget resources.
Members asked for reports on (1) vacancies by district, (2) maintenance projects delayed or deferred, and (3) the number of unfilled CDL roles; Carroll agreed to provide the requested data and to participate in follow‑up conversations about recruitment and compensation strategies.
Ending: Committee staff and PennDOT agreed to follow up with district‑level vacancy and delayed‑project data so legislators can evaluate options to shore up maintenance capacity.
