INDOT's LaPorte District opts for longer days, shorter weeks until snow arrives

BY PATRICK GUINANE, Times of Northwest Indiana
pguinane@nwitimes.com

INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana Department of Transportation is turning to longer hours and shorter work weeks in the battle against rising fuel costs.

Road crews in INDOT's LaPorte District, which stretches from the state line to South Bend and south to Logansport, switched to four-day work schedules Monday. They will work three 10-hour days and one 9.5-day.

"The staff has indicated their support for the program after gathering input from our workers at all levels," Mike McPhillips, deputy INDOT commissioner for the LaPorte District, said in a written statement. "We have established goals to reduce consumption in fuel, utilities and fleet maintenance by 10 percent while projecting increased productivity."

The agency hopes the move will conserve fuel and allow crews to spend less time traveling to work sites and setting up and putting away equipment. INDOT said the workers will revert to five-day work weeks in November, when snow removal duties begin.