Chicago holding first annual ‘Name a Snowplow’ contest

CHICAGO — The City of Chicago is holding its first annual “You Name a Snowplow” contest.

Residents are encouraged to use their “ingenuity and imagination” to create names by Jan. 6, 2023. The city is going to pick the top six names and each one will represent a plow in Chicago’s six snow districts.

“Chicago knows snow, and we count on our snowplows and their drivers to be here for us every winter making sure the roads are safe and passable for motorists, emergency vehicles and public transportation,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “I’m thrilled to begin this fun and exciting naming process for our vitally important fleet of snow vehicles.”

The submissions are limited to one per person and cannot be more than 50 characters in length.

Residents can submit the names at www.chicagoshovels.org.

The contest has two phases, the city said. After Jan. 6 or once it reaches 20,000 submission, Department of Streets and Sanitation staff will pick 50 finalists.

Residents then will have the opportunity to vote on up to six names by Jan. 31.

Once the names are chosen, residents will be able to view the named snowplows, along with the city’s full snow fleet, in real-time during winter storms via Chicago’s plow tracker.