Two days before a significant winter storm was expected to hit Texas, two tanker trucks used for spreading brine on Interstates 20 and 30 were taken out of service due to mechanical problems. Thanks to the efforts of mechanics at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), both vehicles were repaired in time to support preparations for icy conditions.
“These trucks – used to spread brine on Interstates 20 and 30 – were sidelined for mechanical issues. There was no time to lose to get them up and running again as crews worked to prepare bridges and major highways across the state,” said Atlanta District Fleet Operations Supervisor Scott Hendrix.
Hendrix explained the importance of these vehicles: “The two tanker trailers we have are critical for winter weather because roughly half of our sections have interstate that run through them. Without those, we would not be able to pretreat like we need to and to treat during the event. Their large capacity allows crews to cover a lot of miles without having to stop and refill.”
The first problem appeared when the brakes malfunctioned on the I-30 tanker during brine operations. Despite an initial repair attempt by a TxDOT mechanic, the issue persisted, requiring the vehicle’s return to the district shop. At nearly the same time, a venting failure prevented the I-20 tanker from spraying brine, bringing it into the shop as well.
“I was a little bit concerned because I knew the district was going to need this — bad. It was all hands on deck to get these things back up and going,” Hendrix said.
The mechanics worked together until repairs were completed at 7 p.m., with as many as seven technicians focused on fixing both tankers simultaneously.
“I’d never seen that many people working on a single piece of equipment,” Hendrix added.
Once repairs were finished and test runs completed, there was relief among staff who understood how crucial these vehicles were for road safety ahead of severe weather.
“The crew we have in the Atlanta shop is amazing. I can’t say enough good things about this group of mechanics working as a team to solve a serious problem,” Hendrix said. “The guys out here understood the gravity of what was going on and knew that these things needed to go.”
Mechanics play an essential role in TxDOT’s response during winter weather events, working alongside road crews statewide. Such stories highlight their ongoing commitment to keeping roads clear during storms.
Efforts like these are part of broader initiatives supported by federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). For example, new guidance and $7.3 billion in formula funding have been made available by USDOT’s Federal Highway Administration through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aiming to help states better prepare for extreme weather events like those faced by Texas (source). Additionally, programs like RAISE have distributed more than $2.2 billion nationally for infrastructure modernization projects (source).
For more information about TxDOT’s response during recent storms, additional details are available in their newsroom updates.
