Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Announces Winning Name of the 2026 Name the Super Snow Plow Contest
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Announces Winning Name of the 2026 Name the Super Snow Plow Contest
MIDDLETOWN, PA — Plow Force One is the winner of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s 2026 Name the Snow Plow Contest. Starting in February, a social media contest was created to engage PA Turnpike travelers while reinforcing the importance of winter roadway safety on its system.
“Thank you to all who participated in this year’s contest. It was great seeing the enthusiasm from travelers across the Commonwealth,” said Craig Shuey, COO for the PA Turnpike. “Our snow plow operators are a critical part of maintaining mobility and protecting motorists during our winter weather operations, and this contest was a fun way to engage the public with the important work our operators do.”
The Pennsylvania Turnpike received nearly 1,200 name suggestions for the new Super Snow Plow and narrowed it down to five: Plow Force One, Darth Blader, Big Leplowski, Optimus Plow and Sir Plows-A-Lot. Plow Force One earned more than 400 votes during the final round, which began in March and closed this week. Participants voted by “liking” the name in the comments on the PA Turnpike’s Facebook and Instagram pages. The contest engaged approximately 140,000 social media users.
This winter, the Pennsylvania Turnpike added a new super snow plow, now known as the Plow Force One, to its fleet to enhance safety and optimize personnel. By the end of January, the 550-horsepower tri-drive truck had cleared 3,500 miles of snow during its debut season. Combined, the front and wing plows can clear a width of 27 feet in one pass – more than two lanes on the PA Turnpike. The plan is to use Plow Force One during heavy storms with another truck following behind, clearing all lanes in one pass. But even on its own, it can remove snow from more of the highway much faster than the current trucks – saving the PA Turnpike crews’ time, improving cycle times and optimizing its routes.
As the PA Turnpike expands its roadway through the total reconstruction program, using larger equipment, like the super snow plow, allows PA Turnpike crews to continue clearing large snow volumes quickly with the same amount of manpower.
This past winter, Plow Force One was piloted in Somerset due to its high snow volume. The goal is to move the equipment over time to measure its effectiveness at other locations and conditions along the PA Turnpike system.
As Winter Operations end later this month, the PA Turnpike will explore ways to include the new name on its plow next winter. Plow Force One may be displayed on PA Turnpike snow plows, shared through Commission communication channels, and incorporated into winter safety outreach to help keep safety top of mind throughout the season.
Winter operations are a critical part of the PA Turnpike and its mission to provide a safe and reliable roadway that supports national mobility and commerce. As the second-largest tolling agency in the United States, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has nearly 3,000 snow miles to maintain, equivalent to a trip from Harrisburg to Seattle. The PA Turnpike accomplishes this through the work and dedication of approximately 450 licensed operators, 60 mechanics and fleet staff and 40 Traffic Operations Center staff. These crews work around the clock to keep more than 565 miles of roadway safe and passable during winter storms.
A national transportation leader, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) is the second largest tolling facility in the United States with the most miles. The PA Turnpike proudly supports safety and convenience for its more than 550,000 daily customers through 24-7 roadside assistance, round-the-clock food and fuel at 17 service plazas and a dedicated maintenance force and State Police Troop. The PA Turnpike’s approximately 1,400-person local workforce is unified in its mission; to operate a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce. For more information about the PA Turnpike’s mission, vision and values, please visit Home | PA Turnpike.
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Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com
Crispin Havener, Assistant Press Secretary: (717) 870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com