PennDOT’s New Snow Plow Tracker Seems to Be Working

Way back on January 11th, before Winter Storm Jonas was even a twinkle in meteorologists’ eyes, we told you that Pennsylvania was launching a technology that would allow you to track PennDOT snow plows — “Y’know, if we ever get any snow,” we added, because we were starting to think the snow gods had forsaken us. Ha ha.

Way back then, we said:

Gov. Tom Wolf announced the new program Monday morning. Computer users will go to www.511PA.com to track the location of more than 500 PennDOT plow trucks and more than 200 contracted rental trucks as they work to clear state roadways of snow.

Again, if the snow ever happens.

“This initiative will improve PennDOT’s operations by looking for efficiencies in how the agency’s fleet is operating during the winter months, while promoting transparency by allowing the public access to this information,” Wolf said in a written statement accompanying the announcement.

Well, it turns out the technology works, or it certainly seems to, based on the information available at 511PA.com. You can zoom way out or way in, and even see the two-hour historical paths of individual plows. At the time of the announcement, PennDOT secretary Leslie Richards stipulated that not all active trucks will be trackable at all times, but there seem to be quite a few out there now.

Head over to 511PA.com to track plows, check live traffic cameras, view speed restrictions and more.