I’m enjoying getting to find out inside information on how the city operates. Last Wednesday I was up at 4:30 in the morning to learn about part of the city’s function that not many of us think about; garbage collection. Every morning Greg Phillips is at his job at 4:45. It starts by checking over the truck, making sure the tires are aired, fluid levels are up, and the equipment is operating properly. This daily routine in critical because this is a $350,000 piece of complicated equipment. Repairs are expensive, so making sure it is constantly kept in top condition is critical.
At 5:00 we were out of the gate and doing rounds for the commercial districts and schools. It is important that he starts out early in order to miss as much traffic as possible. It is not easy driving this big thing through the city streets, let alone through the alleys.
Greg has a long history of driving big rigs. He has been operating equipment all of his life. The garbage truck, with its loading arm, duel hydraulic compactor, cameras, etc. is one of the more complicated machines a person can drive and operate. Every time it empties a container, the driver watches the camera screen to make sure the container is emptied completely. If it doesn’t empty, he must keep repeating until it does, or get out and unblock whatever is holding the contents inside. Every time, the whole truck shakes. Each time Greg gets out of the truck for any reason, he is checking the arm to make sure all of the bolts are still in place to prevent damage. It is a job with a lot of details.
In riding with him, a person quickly develops an appreciation for the skill and knowledge it takes to do this job. It is the ultimate in stop and go driving with precision. Not only must the truck be positioned correctly to the container, but Greg must also be maneuvering around power poles, avoiding other objects, and looking soft spots in the alleys that could cause the truck to get buried. Often there are only inches of room on either side of the truck. There is a lot of skill required in this job.
After Greg has picked up and delivered his loads to the dump, he responds to individual needs; delivering or picking up containers from special events, etc. He even repairs damaged containers by cannibalizing units that are too far gone and patching holes in salvageable ones. The large round containers are about $500 apiece and the small ones are about $100 so his efforts save the city a fair chuck over time. Thanks Greg!
I also found out in riding with him some of the don’ts of filling the waste containers. The garbage truck bed is actually more fragile than most people might think. With the hydraulics used to compress the trash, certain items can puncture the floor, sides, and roof causing extensive damage.
So….
• Do not place lumber more than 1 foot long in the containers.
• Do not put concrete in
• Do not put metal pipes in
• NO flammable liquids
• Do not overload containers. If the lid will not shut, it is too full for the truck’s hopper safely. Walk to the next container for your trash.
The above items should be hauled out to the dump separately. If not, the driver, if he is aware, must sort through the trash at the dump and place it in the appropriate pile there. This is very time consuming and not necessarily pleasant.
Another item worth mentioning is to please not shift or move the containers. They are in their present location and positioned for the truck to load efficiently. Moving or shifting the container will require the driver to stop the truck, get out, and reposition the container in order to load it. The alleys in many places are incredibly narrow. The containers are in the location and position to optimally allow the driver to get to the container. Sometimes even in the optimal spot, there are just inches on each side to maneuver, so please, be kind to Greg.
In other news for the week, there will be some under the road boring happening on the west end of Pioneer Rd. so be prepared for lane blockage and flagging.
Hope you have a great week!
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