RICHFIELD, Minn. — Travelers in northwestern Minnesota can shake off their fear of hitting the winter roads knowing that Taylor Drift will clear a path for them.
The snowplow named after Taylor Swift was the runaway winner of Minnesota’s fourth annual Name a Snowplow contest, with eight new names announced Tuesday. Taylor Drift received 12,027 votes, nearly twice as many as second-place finisher Clark W. Blizzwald — in honor of the star character from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
In order of votes received, the other winners among the 49 finalists were Dolly Plowton, Waipahinte (a Dakota word for “snow plow”) Beyonsleigh, You’re Killin’ Me Squalls, Fast and Flurrious and Barbie’s Dream Plow.
“Minnesotans are voting for this in large numbers,” Gov. Tim Walz said at a news conference. “Thousands and thousands of Minnesotans are coming forward with incredible creativity.” The governor stood next to an orange-painted crew with a sticker with the new name: Barbie’s Dream Crew.
Walz thanked the state’s snowplow drivers for braving dangerous conditions, working 12-hour shifts and clearing 200 miles (322 kilometers) or more at a time.
The eight winning names were assigned to snow plows in different counties, with Taylor Drift going to one in northwestern Minnesota and Barbie’s Dream Plow going to another in the Twin Cities metro.
The often frigid state began naming its roughly 800 shifts in 2020. More than three dozen names already adorn trucks scraping snow from Minnesota highways.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation started the contest as a way to raise spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Anne Meyer, a spokesperson for the agency.
“We have a lot of fun with this competition every year, but I also hope that in its own way it increases the safety of the men and women who operate our snow plows,” Meyer said.
Meyer urged people to drive slower and keep a safe distance from snowplow drivers. In Minnesota, about 100 snowplows are hit each winter season, she said. The Name a Snow Plow contest is a way to personalize both the massive trucks and the people who drive them.
Waipahinte is the first Dakota name applied to a snow plow by the people.
Outside of the competition, in previous years, state Department of Transportation officials gave three snowplows the Dakota name – Icamna-Blizzard – and Ojibwe names – Giiwedin-The North Wind and Goonodaabaan-Snow Vehicle – in recognition of the highways that the state borders plows. lands.
With more than 50,000 entries for snowplow names since 2020, the response in Minnesota has prompted states and cities across the country to hold similar contests to name snowplows, including Alaska, California, Ohio and Massachusetts.
Previous winners over the years in Minnesota include Plowy McPlowFace, Darth Blader, Blizzard of Oz, Scoop Dogg and Han Snolo.
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Trisha Ahmed is a staff member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @TrishaAhmed15