If you visit the Texas Department of Transportation’s Atlanta District and think you are seeing double … you’d be right. Because identical twins Michael and Robert Smith both serve as maintenance supervisors in that TxDOT district.
[Above photo by TxDOT]
Yet while the self-described “best friends and co-workers” hold the same job title, they took separate paths to get there, according to a TxDOT blog post.
In high school, they were both considered for the same summer-hire position at TxDOT. But at the time, only Robert got the job – and has been with TxDOT for the last 28 years, now serving in the agency’s Jefferson maintenance office.
“The supervisor who hired me liked to joke that he hired the wrong brother,” Robert explained. “But I’m still here.”
As for Michael, he went on to work in the private sector – but once again interviewed for an open TxDOT maintenance position 16 years ago. This time, he got the job – and he is based in TxDOT’s maintenance office in Marshall.
The two share matching smiles, both enjoy hunting and golf, and have never cared to be too far from one another – currently living just two miles apart.
At work in the Atlanta District, though, the twins readily admit that distinguishing between them can be a challenge – setting the stage for amusing mix-ups. While it’s helpful to know that Robert usually wears a necklace, they take cases of mistaken identity in stride.
“The other day in the district office, someone said they had just seen my brother and he was wearing the same hat. So, I switched hats,” Michael said. “But even if they call us the wrong name, we still answer.”
“We dealt with it during school, and we’re still going through it today,” Robert said. “We just go with it.”
