Cobb County School District bus drivers were driving around the Atlanta area as early as 5 a.m. today as they looked for patches of ice and other winter conditions that could present problems on morning routes.

Like in many areas of the country, a cold front has gripped the Atlanta area for the better part of the past week. Last Thursday night, transportation supervisors braved the snow and determined that the icy streets would mean no school on Friday. Then, today, with low temperatures in the 20s and highs forecast for the low 40s, Cobb County’s transportation specialists returned to the streets to make sure they were safe enough for the students.

CCSD’s Cobbcast, the district’s blog, reported that some drivers and transportation supervisors personally contacted families to inform them local streets were unsafe and to arrange for alternate pickup locations.

“Our drivers did an excellent job of getting out on the roads early and helping ensure safe and on-time routes to school this morning,” said Rick Grisham, CCSD’s director of transportation. “It’s a team effort that requires everyone to step up and take part and I’m proud of our drivers and support staff.”

According to an ongoing STN survey of a panel of magazine readers from across North America, 49 percent have said there have been at least one "snow day" school closures so far in 2010.