Our City of Victoria garbage trucks run six routes per day with each truck visiting 1,200-1,500 houses—and that number gets higher if a truck breaks down and others have to pick up the slack.
I am exceptionally proud of the hard work and long hours put in by my staff during the recent vehicle breakdowns. Our Solid Waste drivers hit the road at 7 a.m. and aim to be back around 5 p.m., but lately they’ve been having to work until about 10 o’clock at night due to equipment issues.
I can honestly say that no one wants our routes to finish on time more than my staff. As frustrating as it can be for residents when their trash is picked up late, the situation is even harder on the drivers who want to go home to their families.
With that being said, I am excited to announce that Solid Waste received two brand-new trucks last week. These trucks will replace the two oldest in our fleet and, along with the two that we purchased last year, will surely help our operation to run more efficiently.
So, why do trucks break down? In a nutshell, it’s because of all the wear and tear. Our trucks are on the road for 10-12 hours per day four days a week, when all of them are running. By the time a truck is about 9 or 10 years old, it is usually so worn out that it needs to be replaced.
When our trucks are in working order, our trash pickup operation is surprisingly efficient. As I mentioned earlier, our drivers need to hit about 1,200-1,500 addresses daily, along with multiple trips to the landfill to drop off loads of trash so they can pick up more.
We figure that it takes about 15 seconds to pick up trash at one residence, but there are many factors that can complicate this. Some of our residents are unable to put their carts out due to age or disability, and our waiver program allows them to receive help from our staff. We may be delayed by construction or need to slow down in a school zone (as all Victoria drivers should).
Carts that are left out improperly are another big problem. It may not seem like a big deal for our drivers to take a few extra seconds moving a cart, but these small delays can add up over the course of a route. So, if our drivers see that a cart is placed incorrectly, they will leave it there and tag it so that the resident will place it correctly next time.
To help us keep things moving, place your cart 5 feet away from obstacles on all sides, including other trash carts. The cart should be placed with the wheels secure against the curb—or along the street facing your home, if you do not have a curb. Do not leave your vehicle parked in a spot that will block your carts or your neighbor’s.
Although the new trucks will make things easier, we may still run late from time to time. If your trash is not picked up at the usual time, leave it out, and if it still has not been picked up by the next day, call Solid Waste at 361-485-3220 or use the Victoria Texas 311 app.
Darryl Lesak is the director of Environmental Services for the City of Victoria.