Oklahoma winters may be unpredictable, but one thing is certain: every snowstorm de‑serves a snowplow with a personality.
The Oklahoma De‑partment of Transporta‑tion (ODOT) is inviting K‑12 students statewide to submit names for 24 of the agency’s win‑ter weather fleet in the agency’s inaugu‑ral Snowplow Naming Contest.
Through midnight September 15, stu‑dents can unleash their creativity at Ok‑ Traffic.org, and pitch the perfect moniker for the snowplow that keeps their area’s high‑ways and interstates clear. Think puns, pop‑culture tributes or hometown pride. En‑trants are requested to keep names clean and appropriate.
“Our hardworking crews across the state usually battle snow‑storms with steel and salt, but this year we’re also adding a load of imagination from Okla‑homa students,” says Caitlyn Carolus, con‑test manager and Traf‑fic Operations Center program manager. “This contest is a great way for students to connect with public safety, celebrate winter preparedness and show off their creativity. We can’t wait to see what fun names come in this year.”
After the submission period closes, each of ODOT’s eight districts across the state will se‑lect the top three entries per snowplow. From September 29 to Octo‑ber 3, the public will vote on their favorites online. The final winners will be revealed through a news release and social media on October 10, and will be featured on the new‑ly updated snowplow tracking map launching October 27.
Important Dates:
• Name submissions: Through midnight Sept. 15
• Public voting: Sep‑tember 29 through Oc‑tober 3
• Winners an‑nounced: October 10
• Snowplow tracking site launch: October 27 Winning students will receive special rec‑ognition, including an ODOT prize pack, and their snowplow name will appear on a real plow serving their com‑munity throughout the winter season.
ODOT encourages schools, teachers and families to help children come up with names, and toolkits are avail‑able to help educators incorporate the con‑test into classroom or schoolwide activities. To request a copy of the toolkit, email oktraffic@odot.org.
This exciting cam‑paign shines a spotlight on winter safety and the crews who keep the roads clear when the snow starts to fall. Submit an idea, rally classmates for the vote and watch the winning plows roll out when the first flakes fly. For com‑plete rules and submis‑sion forms, visit OkTraf‑fic. org. Snowplow facts:
• Oklahoma has near‑ly 600 snowplows in op‑eration • There are 30,445 highway lane miles in Oklahoma
• In the most recent snowstorms in February 2025, ODOT cleared 462,120 miles of high‑way and interstates. That’s like making near‑ly 166 trips from New York to Los Angeles.
• During widespread storms, snowplow driv‑ers in Oklahoma cover highways and interstates across all 77 counties/ eight districts.
For questions about the contest, email ok‑traffic@ odot.org.
