NEVADA – The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) is facing a significant labor shortage in their highway maintenance staff, with a vacancy rate of nearly 65% in North Western Nevada.

This shortage is compounded by the fact that 95% of their temporary seasonal workers remain unfilled.

In response, NDOT is reassessing its operations and acknowledging that pay is a key factor in employee retention. A staggering 55% of NDOT employees earn less than $50,000 per year, and in the past 14 years, state employees have seen only an 8% increase in wages.

NDOT hopes that Governor Joe Lombardo’s proposed bill to increase pay for state workers will incentivize new hires and retain current employees.

Despite the labor shortage, NDOT is committed to prioritizing key interstates such as mountain passes during winter storms, but warns that secondary routes in rural locations may experience delays in snow clearing and road maintenance.

Credits: Fox Reno

Copyright 2022 775 Times, NV Globe. All rights reserved.