NEW YORK (AP) -- It may be hot out but New York City is thinking ahead to winter.
The Department of Sanitation announced Monday it is seeking to hire private snow plows to help out when 6 or more inches of snow are forecast.
Commissioner John Doherty said the agency is proactively looking for private contractors to assist the city with tertiary streets during major snowstorms so they can be cleared in a timely manner.
The agency also is looking to hire private tow trucks to move abandoned cars from streets during snow storms. That was a major problem during the city's Dec. 26 blizzard. It dumped more than 20 inches of snow and many of the city streets were left unplowed for days.
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