The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) is struggling to fill roles for its highway maintenance staff in North West Nevada. The vacancy rate is 65%.
This unfortunate news comes a few weeks after the US-395 expansion in North Valleys was announced by the agency.
Not only is NDOT facing a labor shortage with maintenance staff, but has a 95% vacancy rate with seasonal positions as well. The agency is reevaluating its way of operation, acknowledging pay is the main issue in retention.
Approximately, 55% of the NDOT workforce makes less than $50, 000 dollars a year, and in the last 14 years, state employees only saw an increase of 8%, and they say the next step lies in the hands of the governor's office.
"Governor Joe Lombardo is proposing a bill that will increase the pay for all state workers and I think that this proposal will help incentivize new employees and retain our current employees," said NDOT Public Information Officer Meg Ragonese.
NDOT will continue to perform a core function and prioritize key interstates such as mountain passes during these winter storms, but they do warn residents secondary routes in rural locations may see a delayed time response when it comes to clearing snow and maintaining roads.
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Source: MyNews4.com
