11 Investigates has learned exclusively that the City of Pittsburgh, for the first time, is now paying salt truck drivers to be on call over the weekend this winter.
It’s a new effort to try to get more truck drivers on stand-by in case of winter weather.
The city and the truck drivers union agreed to the on call list in the latest contract.
For the first time, the city is offering to pay drivers who agree to be on call on Saturday and Sunday during 13 winter weekends.
“We tried to create a system that would reward those guys for putting their life on pause a little bit,” said Public Works Director Chris Hornstein.
DPW Director Chris Hornstein is talking about the city’s new on call system that pays salt truck drivers to be on call, even if they don’t work.
“If they do sign up for it, they are required to come in. It’s a way for them to signal to us that, hey I’m here, I’m ready to work. They get $50 a day for each day, ” said Hornstein.
And drivers who sign up and don’t come in and don’t have a legitimate excuse face disciplinary action.