f you spend much time behind the wheel, you're probably experiencing an increasingly bumpy ride.

Potholes are popping up earlier than usual this year, keeping crews extra busy with work that may drive up costs down the road.

Usually drivers don't have to maneuver through too many potholes until spring, but that timetable is not in effect this year.

"It just makes it more difficult to drive," motorist Sue Friesen said.

"They do a lot of damage to your vehicle. I'm not a big fan of them," motorist Steve Chapko said.

Unfortunately, they are popping up on roads earlier.

"The traditional pothole season is March, April, maybe even into May, when the ground starts to thaw," said Brian Wendling from the Saginaw County Road Commission.

Fluctuating temperatures are to blame for the earlier-than-usual headaches.

"All of that melted snow goes somewhere, and it eventually works its way into the existing cracks in the road, freezes over night or the next couple of days and starts to create some issues with road surface," Wendling explained.

Road Commission crews are filling the holes as quickly as possible, but the constantly changing weather conditions are making things tough.

"It creates a little bit of havoc here at times, especially with the types of weather we've been having. You know, you come in in the morning and send your crews out to patch some holes, and then at noon it's snowing to the point where we have to get the salt trucks back out," Wendling said.

If Mother Nature doesn't lighten up, road surfaces won't be our only worry. A budget hole will also need to be filled.

"Not too concerned about a budget problem at this point, but a big breakup in the spring could wreak havoc," said Wendling.

The Road Commission encourages drivers to report potholes as soon as they see them so crews can try and take care of them before they get worse.

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/local&id=7925175