South Dakota’s official snowplow named in honor of Watertown’s Dale Jones

November 1, 2021

PIERRE, S.D. – Last winter, the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) rolled out the first-ever Name the Snowplow Contest. Heavy snow was no match for 12 cleverly named snowplows that cleared the state’s highway system.

The SDDOT Second Annual Snowplow Naming Contest opens to the public Nov. 1 and runs through Nov. 30, 2021. Contest information and the official online entry form are available on the SDDOT home page at https://dot.sd.gov. In December, the SDDOT will announce one officially named snowplow within each of the 12 SDDOT areas.

“For the SDDOT Snowplow Naming Contest, I am naming the state’s official 2021-2022 snowplow ‘Dale’ in honor of late-tow truck driver Dale Jones of Watertown (pictured) who was tragically killed two years ago on the job,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “Dale’s legacy is a tribute to all snowplow operators, tow truck drivers, law enforcement officials, and others who work long hours, in tough winter weather conditions, to keep the traveling public safe throughout our state.”

“The contest was designed to engage people across the state with the SDDOT in a creative way,” said Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt. “Safety on our roadways is our number one priority, and snowplow operation and winter driving awareness are vital to keeping people safe.”

As part of the contest, SDDOT also created snowplow and winter driving weather awareness coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, and word finds for families and classrooms. Materials are available for download at https://dot.sd.gov/media/SDDOTKids%20ActivitiesBook.pdf.

Find last winter’s snowplow contest winning names, photos, and local media stories at https://dot.sd.gov/inside-sddot/of-interest/sddot-snowplow-naming-contest.