Scottish Gritter Names 2024: The hilarious names of Scotland's gritters and how to track them - from Taylor Drift to Sir Andy Flurry

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.

It’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.

Every year a few more vehicles are added to the fleet and the public are asked to come up with new and interesting ideas.

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 2024/25

• Mr Plow
• Gritallica
• Ready, Spready, Go!
• Sled Zepplin
• For Your Ice Only
• Gritt Scott!
• Frosty the Snow Plough
• Grit and BEAR It
• Mr Snow-it-all
• Mr Snow, Let’s Go
• Plougher O’Scotland
• BEAR Chills
• Polar BEAR Explorer
• Mrs McGritter
• Salt Shaker
• Olaf Snow Free Roads
• Sir Andy Flurry
• William Wall-Ice
• Sammy Salt
• Salty Claus
• Gritty Gritty Bang Bang
• Get a Grit
• Gritz Crackers
• Auntie Freeze
• Thistle do nicely
• Blizzard Wizard
• Snowmer Simpson
• Hagrit
• 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
• Gritly BEAR
• Brine Freeeeze
• Snow place like home
• Scoopy Doo
• Gritty McGrit Face
• Griticle Mass
• The Forth Gritter
• I’ve Grit a Crush on you
• Don’t go Grittin’ my heart
• Thistle gets through
• Sprinkles
• Oh my Gritty Aunt
• The Polar Bear Express
• Kevin Fridges
• Stone Cold Steve Frostin
• Keanu Freeze
• Polar Abdul
• Taylor Drift
• Sleeter Andre
• Skate Bush