Step behind the wheel of a Greater Sudbury sidewalk plow

Gilles Lavigne will tell you that driving a sidewalk plow isn't easy.

"It's very rough. It's not a smooth ride whatsoever. And it's loud," says the Greater Sudbury employee, who has driven a sidewalk plow (known internally at the city as MTs for "municipal tractor") for eight years.

Lavigne also says he's "constantly on edge" when behind the wheel, as he has to look out for pedestrians, as well as cars backing out of driveways, plus try not to clip lawns, flower beds and mailboxes, all while shoving around the snow that other people have put in his way.

"We're fighting all the snow that the plow's putting on the sidewalk and all the snow the public puts on the sidewalk," says Lavigne, who adds that despite the challenges, it's a great feeling clearing sidewalks that allow people to get around.

The city spends about $1 million plowing 350 kilometres of sidewalk across Greater Sudbury every winter.

Chris Kruk, who trains drivers at the city, says the glassed in cab of the MT is like a "fishbowl" with "nowhere to hide."

CBC reporter Erik White got to take a spin in a sidewalk plow. Here's what that looked like: