Photos: On the road with VDOT

Oscar Ramos, a VDOT plow driver, prepares for his shift on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. He has covered the same section of Route 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Oscar Ramos, a VDOT plow driver, prepares to head back to the roads on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Ramos has covered the same section of Virginia Rt. 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Plow driver Oscar Ramos, a resident of Prince George's County, Md., anticpates plow work will continue well into the week. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Plow driver Oscar Ramos, a resident of Prince George’s County, Md., anticpates plow work will continue well into the week. (WTOP/Max Smith)
WTOP's Max Smith hit the road with Oscar Ramos, a VDOT plow driver who has covered the same section of Route 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years.  (WTOP/Max Smith)
WTOP’s Max Smith hit the road with Oscar Ramos, a VDOT plow driver who has covered the same section of Virginia Rt. 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
A snow plow has slipped off the road, and tilted sideways, on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Virginia Department of Transportation is warning motorists to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast. (WTOP/Max Smith)
A snow plow has slipped off the road, and tilted sideways, on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Virginia Department of Transportation is warning motorists to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast. (WTOP/Max Smith)
 Virginia Department of Transportation is warning motorists to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Virginia Department of Transportation is warning motorists to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Virginia Department of Transportation is warning motorists to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast.  (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
WTOP's Max Smith hit the road with Oscar Ramos, a VDOT plow driver who has covered the same section of Route 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years. (WTOP/Max Smith)
WTOP’s Max Smith hit the road with Oscar Ramos, a VDOT plow driver who has covered the same section of Virginia Rt. 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
(WTOP/Max Smith)
(WTOP/Max Smith)
Plow driver Oscar Ramos, a resident of Prince George's County, Md., anticipates plow work will continue well into the week. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, as a major storm dumps historic amounts of snow along the East Coast.(WTOP/Max Smith)
Plow driver Oscar Ramos, a resident of Prince George’s County, Md., anticpates plow work will continue well into the week. Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, as a major storm dumps historic amounts of snow along the East Coast. (WTOP/Max Smith)
(1/15)
Oscar Ramos, a VDOT plow driver, prepares for his shift on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. He has covered the same section of Route 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Plow driver Oscar Ramos, a resident of Prince George's County, Md., anticpates plow work will continue well into the week. (WTOP/Max Smith)
WTOP's Max Smith hit the road with Oscar Ramos, a VDOT plow driver who has covered the same section of Route 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years.  (WTOP/Max Smith)
A snow plow has slipped off the road, and tilted sideways, on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Virginia Department of Transportation is warning motorists to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast. (WTOP/Max Smith)
 Virginia Department of Transportation is warning motorists to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
WTOP's Max Smith hit the road with Oscar Ramos, a VDOT plow driver who has covered the same section of Route 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads as a major winter storm pounds the East Coast (WTOP/Max Smith)
Plow driver Oscar Ramos, a resident of Prince George's County, Md., anticipates plow work will continue well into the week. (WTOP/Max Smith)
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation work to clear the roadways on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, as a major storm dumps historic amounts of snow along the East Coast.(WTOP/Max Smith)
April 24, 2024 | (Max Smith)

WASHINGTON — On Saturday, WTOP’s Max Smith hit the road with Oscar Ramos, a plow driver with the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Ramos, a resident of Prince George’s County, Maryland, has covered the same section of Virginia Rt. 236/Little River Turnpike for the past 26 years. A major winter storm walloping the East Coast reached its height on Saturday.

Ramos says he expects plowing work to continue well into the week. He asks that people stay off the roads — whether walking or driving — so that the plows can keep their momentum up and safely clear the main roads.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up