Scottish Gritter Names: These are the hilarious names of Scotland's gritters and how to track them - from Sled Zeppelin to Basil Salty
With the weather turning cold and further weather warnings in place this week, the battle is on to keep Scotland’s roads free of ice and snow.
On the frontline on the fight against the freeze are the country’s fleet of 240 gritters, based at 42 depots.
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Hide AdIt’s a serious business but when you see them on the motorway or city roads, the names painted on the side of the vehicles might give you a chuckle.
Since around 2017 BEAR Scotland have given the gritters a range of hilarious names, many of which reference famous Scots or aspects of Scottish culture – from Andy McFlurry and Lew-Ice Capaldi, to Gonnae Snow Dae That and Yes Sir, Ice Can Boogie.
They’ve proved to be such a hit – with the website that’s let you track them since around 2016 sometimes registering over 100,000 visitors a day – that other countries have followed suit. Last year in the USA the Minnesota Department of Transportation held a public poll to come up with funny names, as did a number of Canadian towns and cities. Winning names included Plowasaurus Rex, Sir Salts-A-Lot, and Snowboni.
Here are all the names in Scotland and how to track them.
How did the gritters get their names?
The idea to give Scotland’s gritters amusing names dates bqack to 2020, when Amey – a company responsible for maintaining public highways and bridges, performing inspections, and keeping the roads clear from debris and snow – ran a competition to let the public name the winter-busting vehicles.
Running from December 23, 2020, to January 23, 2021, the online submissions proved to be a massive success – a world apart from the famous poll to name a scientific research ship that came up with the moniker Boaty McBoatface.
How can I track Scotland’s gritters?
A full map of Scotland's gritting fleet can be found at scotgov.maps.
Double click to zoom in on the map, and click and drag your cursor to explore the interactive map of Scotland.
Scotland's Gritter names 2022/23
Rumble
Mr Plow
The Ice Destroyer
Gritallica
Ready, Spready Go!
Sled Zeppelin
Snowlar BEAR
Gansta Granny Gritter
Frosty
Snow Angel
Veruca Salt
My Name is Doddie
Sprinkles
The Snow Buster
For Your Ice Only
The Snowclaimers
Salty
Grit A Bit
My Name’5 Doddie
I Want to Break Freeze
Mega Melter
I’m shovelin’
Always Be Grit-full
Scotland’s Bravest Gritter
Blizzard BEAR
Basil Salty
Polar Patroller
Snow Dozer
Licence to Chill
Sir Salter Scott
Snow Connery
Nitty Gritty
Grit-Tok
The Incredible Ice BEAR
Walter The Salter
BFG – Big Friendly Gritter
BEAR-illiant
BRINE FREEEEZE
Mrs McGritter
Polar BEAR Express
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