The Nebraska Department of Transportation recently named the winners of its annual Snowplow Roadeo; an event comprised of a series of challenges testing the precision and driving skills of the agency’s snowplow operators.
[Above photo by Nebraska DOT]
Sandra Postnikoff and Andrew Zajic from Nebraska DOT’s District 7 won the 2026 Snowplow Roadeo, with Bill Weller and Travis Magary from District 8 named the runners-up.
The agency said this statewide competition – which took place at the Nebraska Safety Center Driving Range in Kearney, NE – starts with local competitions in each of Nebraska DOT’s eight districts.
The agency said participants compete in teams of two and must complete a pre-trip inspection to identify issues with their snowplow, take a timed written test, and navigate an obstacle course designed to simulate various winter road maintenance situations.
The top two teams from each district advance to the state competition, where they compete to represent Nebraska at the national level. Nebraska DOT noted that the winners and the runners-up will compete against snowplow operators from across the country at the American Public Works Association Western Snow and Ice Conference, to be held September 30 through October 2 in Loveland, CO.
“The Snowplow Roadeo gives our operators a chance to put their training and experience to the test in realistic scenarios,” noted Tom Renninger, head of Nebraska DOT’s Operations Division, in a statement. “From inspections to precision driving courses, teams are evaluated on their attention to detail, precision, and problem-solving skills, much like the work they perform during a winter storm.”
“We are proud of all of the teams that competed in this year’s Snowplow Roadeo and are excited to see how our winners compete at the national level,” added Vicki Kramer, Nebraska DOT’s director.
“In addition to friendly competition, this event gives us the opportunity to show that safety is our number one priority,” she said. “Every winter, drivers on Nebraska roads trust our snowplow operators to work safely while helping keep others safe during challenging conditions. We are proud to have these teammates representing NDOT.”
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