School milk cartons are packaged and sent down the assembly line at Marburger Farm Dairy on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

FORWARD TWP — Bob Lytle plays a prominent role in making sure schools and stores across Butler County have an ample supply of milk products no matter what the weather looks like outside.

As a delivery driver for Marburger Farm Dairy for more than two decades, the Mars native has familiarized himself with the local community.

“If you’re talking about the kids at the local schools and all that, yeah, you get to know them,” he said. “I’ve been doing this a long time. I see so many kids and cafeteria workers.”

Lytle is one of about 30 Marburger Farm Dairy delivery drivers who work year-round through all types of weather, ensuring goods like milk, tea, eggs and butter are on store shelves.

Severe winter weather can impact the delivery schedule and how the 87-year-old business operates.

School delays and cancellations, along with winter weather warnings, oftentimes dictate production levels on a given day, according to owner Craig Marburger.

Cliff Bould organizes milk in shipping crates at Marburger Farm Dairy on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

“We can have schools that end up canceling. It’s one of the big situations where we have to adjust our production,” he said. “When people need essentials like bread and milk, we have to increase our milk production because kids are home from school. We also have to increase our chocolate milk because everybody wants some hot chocolate whenever it’s so darn cold outside.”

Marburger also noted that drivers must pay attention to road closures and the condition of parking lots when making early-morning deliveries that can range anywhere from Washington all the way up to Erie.

“Drivers can run into issues with the ice and freezing rain,” Marburger said. “They just got to slow down and watch the parking lots because they get there usually before somebody else gets there. We also require our guys to wear anti-skid shoes, so that helps out with that situation.”

The cold weather can also affect delivery trucks. Marburger noted that his convoy of trucks receive antifreeze fuel treatments and are equipped with block heaters throughout the winter months to ensure maximum safety.

“We just got to make sure they’re running good in the winter time,” he said. “We have to keep track that the milk doesn’t freeze on the truck if it’s on the truck for too long.”

Marburger Farm Dairy, which is located just outside Evans City, is one of the main providers of dairy products in the county, delivering to more than 500 stores across the Western Pennsylvania region.

Marburger driver John Kelly unloads empty milk crates after delivering milk throughout the county and then returning to Marburger Farm Dairy on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Keaton Jesteadt prepares school milk cartons to be filled with milk at Marburger Farm Dairy on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Marburger driver Brian Safran unloads milk crates after delivering milk throughout the county and then returning to Marburger Farm Dairy on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Marburger driver Brian Safran unloads empty milk crates after delivering milk throughout the county and then returning to Marburger Farm Dairy on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips

Marburger driver Dakota Ferguson unloads empty milk crates after delivering milk throughout the county and then returning to Marburger Farm Dairy on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Morgan Phillips