ST. LOUIS – With temperatures plunging into the single digits, many workers are braving the bitter cold to keep our city running.
From law enforcement to emergency responders, construction crews, and delivery drivers—like those at St. Louis Pizza & Wings—essential workers are pushing through these dangerous conditions to get the job done.
We followed delivery driver Brian Sparks as he hit the road, navigating slick streets.
“We’re double parking. Putting our hazards on. Blocking traffic if we have to,” he said.
Sparks says this has been the worst winter storm he’s seen in at least a decade. With nearly 20 years of experience, he knows how to stay cautious.
“Now, it’s been so cold. It’s pretty much a layer of ice everywhere,” he said. “So, even if it looks like you’ve got a good area to go, it’s not the case. So, you have to have a good balancing act.”
Sparks says he has made up to 60 deliveries in an eight-hour shift facing freezing temperatures. He and his fellow drivers are attempting to stay warm anyway they can.
“It’s pretty rough! Actually, you know, I’m layered up! I got four layers on. I got thermals and everything,” Sparks said.
There are over 1.7 million delivery truck drivers in the U.S., with millions more working as independent contractors for services like Door Dash. The CDC warns that extreme cold can lead to frostbite and hypothermia, risks these drivers face with every stop.
“There’s some time when you’re on a front porch. You could just feel the wind just kind of smacking your cheeks. You know you just kind of brace for it,” Sparks said.
Sparks said that customers can do their part by clearing their stairs, salting walkways, and being ready at the door when their order arrives, so delivery drivers do not have to wait outside in the extreme cold.