(WASHINGTON, DC) – Mayor Muriel Bowser and members of the District’s snow team ended a week-long snow mobilization exercise with a heavy plow rollout to refresh operators on their routes Friday, October 17. Throughout the week, crews have been testing and calibrating snow-clearing equipment, completing final maintenance and repairs, and restocking salt, brine and other supplies. IT staff also uses this time to fine-tune the technology that track and deploy resources during storms.
“A successful snow season doesn’t happen by chance—it’s the result of year-round preparation,”said DPW Interim Director Anthony Crispino. “Last winter tested us with unprecedented back-to-back storms alongside a number of historic, ceremonial events. Advance training and test runs help our crews anticipate and navigate challenges so we’re ready regardless of what the season brings us.”
The DC Snow Team, led by the Department of Public Works (DPW) with strong support from the District Department of Transportation, consists of more than 800 employees and more than 200 heavy and light plows. A number of other District government agencies also play a vital role during snow events, including the Department of General Services, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, and the Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnerships (Serve DC).
The simulation began on Monday with a conference call for the snow team, featuring a mock weather scenario provided by the National Weather Service. Each day, the team adjusted their strategies according to new forecasts. On Friday, plow drivers navigated their typical routes to identify potential obstacles they could face during a real snowstorm.
During an actual snow team deployment, residents can track snow removal progress in real-time by visiting snow.dc.gov/page/about-track-our-plows on the snow team’s Website. With the District’s Plow Tracker system, residents can see where the Snow Team’s plows have traveled throughout the city doing both pre-treatment and plowing for the ongoing snow event.
DPW, which procures and maintains the majority of District government’s fleet, keeps sustainability at the heart of its work. The snow fleet features 69 biodiesel trucks and 22 electric pickups for supervisors—part of DPW’s push to use cleaner, more efficient equipment. That focus helped the agency earn a spot among the nation’s 100 Best Fleets, ranking 40th in the North American Fleet Management Association’s annual list earlier this year.
In preparation for winter, residents are reminded that they should call the shelter hotline at (202) 399-7093 when they see a person who is experiencing homelessness and outside during extreme temperatures. District residents are required to remove snow and ice from the paved sidewalks, curb ramps and curb cuts abutting their property after a snowstorm. Residents 65 and older or with functionality needs may visit shovelexemption.dpw.dc.gov to sign up for a sidewalk shoveling exemption by November 30, 2025.
Residents are also encouraged to join Serve DC’s Volunteer Snow Team, which helps clear sidewalks for registered seniors who are 65 and older and residents with access functionality needs. Volunteers can sign-up at servedc.galaxydigital.com.
For more information about DC’s snow program, preparing for winter weather, or to see where District Snow Team plows are during a storm, visit snow.dc.gov.