News

Plow driver ties up traffic and mocks drivers in Facebook post

FITCHBURG, Mass. — A plow driver who snapped pictures as he held up traffic and mocked other drivers stuck behind him is no longer working his state-contracted job until he completes training, state transportation officials said.

A viewer sent Boston 25 News a screen shot of a Facebook post on a Fitchburg community page, in which the apparent plow driver posted two pictures side-by-side.

The first photo shows a front windshield view of the plow truck driving in the middle of two lanes and a clear Route 2 ahead of him in the Leominster and Fitchburg area, with the first half of the caption, “No traffic on rt 2!” But the second, rear-view mirror photo shows two long lines of traffic held up behind him. The second half of the caption reads, “Oh wait... Hahaha!”

The plow driver works for a private company contracted by the state, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation told Boston 25 News in a statement.

“MassDOT has instructed the vendor that the driver is not to work for MassDOT again until written documentation is received showing the driver has been trained about distracted driving policies,” MassDOT said in part, “and MassDOT is underscoring that the behavior of this driver is unacceptable, unsafe and not permitted under MassDOT policies.”

Boston 25 News attempted to contact the plow driver for comment but did not reach him.