(ABC 6 News) – This week, we saw our last (hopefully) major snow fall of the year, as lines of snow plows marked their last big day. With my window of opportunity closing, I wanted to take my last chance for the next few months to get the ins and outs of one of the most important wintertime jobs.

The first time I saw a snow plow this winter, I felt myself actually getting excited.

Snow plows aren’t exactly common in Texas, even though the state Department of Transportation owns about 500 of them.

For context, Dallas – neighbor to my hometown, Arlington, and the third largest city by population in the state – only has eight plows.

Rochester, with a tenth the population, has 28 and that’s not including all the other equipment that makes up the local public works department.

At the time, I didn’t realize just how much goes into keeping the roads clear up here, and how much responsibility the rest of us carry to ensure everyone gets home safe.

For a lot people, a blizzard like what we saw Wednesday means staying inside, watching the snow fall from the safety and warmth of our homes or workplaces.

For others, it means the work has only just begun.

“I think for a lot of us it’s just buckle down, get the work done,” says Steve Kazeck.

Steve is just one of more than 200 MnDOT snow plow drivers covering 11 counties in southeast Minnesota.

This is his third winter on the job, after three decades of law enforcement.

“It can be stressful, absolutely,” he says.

I met Steve early into his shift.

Major storms like our last few often require drivers like him to be on the road for 12 hours straight and constantly vigilant.

“You gotta be on top of your game when you’re driving a plow truck.”

Four mirrors, two massive plows, monitors and readouts making route recommendations.

It’s a lot to keep track of.

“And all while traffic is zipping by you at 60 plus miles an hour a lot of times.”

Steve’s route takes him up and down highway 52, clearing the road for emergency vehicles who may need to access Mayo Clinic at a moment’s notice.

It can take up to an hour to do a full run of his route.

Traffic is often his biggest concern.

“I’ve seen people go by me on my route with obviously their cruise (control) on and then they’re just doing donuts in front of me,” he says.

Just last month, Iowa set a record for the number of plows hit in a single day.

More than a dozen of them run off the roads by cars and semis.

That’s why every season road crews urge people to drive more carefully when they see those orange and blue lights in the distance.

It takes teamwork, on everyone’s part, to make sure the job gets done.

“We’re working for you the public, driving, to get home safely,” Steve says. “So just give us the space, a little time to do our job, so you can get there safely.”