Wheel loader operator drives his machine for coffee, bathroom breaks; residents of NY town not amused

New Rochelle wheel loader coffee breaks

A wheel loader operator’s use of his machine to go on coffee and bathroom breaks has upset several residents in a New York town.

Residents of New Rochelle, New York issued complaints to City Hall after seeing a wheel loader rumble through city streets several times a day on what appeared to be routine errands, according to a report from CBS New York.

A report from CBS 2 went out to see if he could track down the operator and sure enough caught up with him and his machine at the convenience store he visits as many as three times a day. The man operator is employed by the city’s public works department and says he understands why people are mad and agrees that the wheel loader is probably not the best vehicle for buying lottery tickets, coffee and cigarettes.

However, he says the jobsite, which is about a mile away from the store, doesn’t have a bathroom and his superiors won’t let him leave the loader unattended out of fear that it might be vandalized. The city’s public works commissioner, Alex Tergis, told CBS 2 that he is are aware of the situation and the department is “trying to rectify that.” Trellis confirmed that the department does not want the loader left alone and said due to cutbacks the operator works alone.

You can watch CBS 2’s interview with the operator here.