OWOSSO, Mich. — To help keep students safe during this winter’s harsh conditions, Owosso Public Schools’ transportation department partnered with the Shiawassee County Road Commission.   

Transportation Supervisor Jayne Campbell said it was one of the most difficult winters she has experienced in her 20 years with the school district.

“With the zero or below temperatures, snow and ice, and going out at 4 a.m. to check roads to see if they are safe for driving, I always think to myself, ‘Would I be comfortable to drive safely with students on my bus?’” Campbell said. “I drove buses for many years, and if I think I couldn’t do it, I would not expect my drivers to.”

Campbell would work with Owosso Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Andrea Tuttle, who would determine whether a snow day should be called.

Campbell added that the Shiawassee County Road Commission team was very helpful to the district’s transportation staff during the season. Officials there provided information about road conditions and when plow trucks would arrive to clear the roads for buses.  

“Our transportation team and administrators have scheduled meetings throughout the school year, and I invited the supervisor and manager of the Shiawassee County Road Commission to thank them and their crew for working together with us,” Campbell said. "I gave them a small token of appreciation for their hard work." 

She noted that Owosso Public Schools’ bus drivers also deserve “a huge pat on the back for their driving skills used to get students safely to school and home again.”

Check out this winter-related photo gallery: 

• Pupil Transporters Take on Winter 2014