The city's snow removal schedule has nearly doubled for the Canada Winter Games.

Jim MacLeod, the city's manager of public works, said in an interview this morning his department has expanded snow removal efforts from 10 to 20 hours a day.

'We're working 20 hours a day, seven days a week,' he said.

The regular snow removal schedule, he said, was seven 10-hours shifts a day.

MacLeod said sanding trucks are also out on an ongoing basis, as opposed to an on-call schedule, and are working through city streets in line with the city's snow and ice policy.

'We'll be working on this schedule until the end of the Games,' he said.

The city has a priority system for snow removal. It includes freeways, major routes and major bus routes as priority one; remaining major roads and bus routes as priority two; all remaining roads in the city as priority three; and city-owned parking lots and lanes as priority four.

Games park-and-ride parking lots, he added, have also received a higher priority.

MacLeod said final costs for the heightened snow removal will be calculated when the Games have concluded in March.

'We're working on our budget for this year so we'll just have to see when it's done,' he said.

City manager Dennis Shewfelt said there are a number of city crews working overtime to ensure things run smoothly on city property.

The Parks and Recreation Department, he added, is also working 24-7.

'At places like the Canada Games Centre, they spend the night building the ice up for the next day,' Shewfelt said.

'That's the kind of commitment we're making from the city's perspective. The mechanics are also on all the time so they can fix things in case they break down.'

Whitehorse Transit manager Dave Muir said while the bus service for the Games has seen a few glitches, overall, things are going well.

'We've had a few challenges with buses freezing up and breaking down,' he said.

'We had a few problems with the air systems on the new buses freezing up, giving the buses a lean. But the mechanics have given them a shot of alcohol and gotten them back on the road.

'That's resulted in a few late runs, but people seem to be very understanding.'

Muir said the transit service has also added a few extra runs every night this week to correspond with some Games schedule changes.