In less than two hours of his shift plowing city streets Sunday night, Assistant Public Works Director Kevin Quigley heard from city residents thanking him for his work, dealt with inconsiderate drivers following too closely and got his one-ton, heavy-duty dump truck stuck for 45 minutes because someone had piled snow from a driveway into the street.

That's what Pittsburgh crews have been coping with since Friday, following the largest snowfall in the region since the storm of 1993.

Mr. Quigley, who has worked for the city for 20 years, worked straight through from Friday morning to Saturday night and was back out on the streets at 6 a.m. Sunday.

He was driving a plow truck. The city has 51 vehicles that can both salt and plow, along with another dozen tractors that are used for only snow removal. City crews maintain approximately 2,000 lane miles of roads.

A huge problem for city workers are the number of pedestrians using the streets as walkways. While Mr. Quigley understands the sidewalks might not be clear, it's dangerous for anyone to be walking on the already narrowed streets.

Another difficulty, he said, are abandoned cars.

The more ice under the snow, the more rough the ride inside the truck's cab. As the plowed snow piled in front, the front end bounced so hard and so fast, it was bone-jarring.

Then, when the snow gets too high and too heavy to push anymore, the only way to move it is to get a running start.

"What you've got to do, you've got to keep hittin' it, hittin' it, hittin it, and eventually, you'll break through," Mr. Quigley said.

When that happens, the burst from the truck's front end through the snowbank is almost like an explosion. It causes a momentary white-out.

As for the quality of the plowing, Mr. Quigley said, that depends on a number of factors. Compacted snow is much more difficult to plow. Ice forms underneath, and sometimes, the corner of the plow blade jams down into the ice.

That's exactly what happened Sunday night on Atkins Street in Brighton Heights. As Mr. Quigley worked down the middle of the narrow road, the plow hung up, and nipped the rear quarter-panel of a silver minivan.

He left a note on the car with a phone number to call.

Generally, road crews work on emergency routes -- those that lead to hospitals first; then primary routes, like Brighton Road, Steuben Street, Forbes and Murray avenues, then secondary and tertiary roads.

Public works Director Rob Kaczorowski said he heard on Sunday that city Councilman Bill Peduto was angry that roads in Squirrel Hill were still covered. But, he said, there is no special privilege given to any community in the city.

"Squirrel Hill gets the same attention as everyone else," Mr. Kaczorowski said.

Crews were expected to concentrate on Downtown streets overnight, Mr. Quigley said.

"That's our No. 1 priority -- to get town cleared out to get it ready for business."

The streets were nearly empty Sunday night, when Mr. Quigley's truck got stuck on Wapello Street, a cobblestone road in Brighton Heights.

Two neighbors left their homes to help dig him out.

"I just appreciate them being here," said Pittsburgh police Officer Keith Nemith, who helped shovel. "It's my street."

Another city plow truck arrived, too, clearing out more snow and spreading salt around the wheels. Finally, after about 45 minutes and with the use of a tow strap, Mr. Quigley's truck was freed.

By the time he got back on his way, his jeans were soaked all the way up to his thighs. The reason he got stuck? Because someone shoveled the snow from a driveway and piled it in the road.

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