Whether it’s safety, driver comfort or route efficiency, today’s collection vehicles are better than ever before.

By Lynn Tilton

Solid waste collection never has been simple. Sure, there were times when people went door to door buying old metal, papers, and the like, but their vehicles were animal-drawn, with speeds ranging from 2 to 4 mph. Today’s collection vehicles can handle 130 stops per hour, but the disposal site may be more than an hour away, even at beltway speeds. Then there are tight alleys, narrow streets, high-traffic areas—and the kids that are drawn to the action generated by the collection process itself. How does a collector make sure he doesn’t generate irate customers or make negative headlines in the local paper?

Take Toronto
Ron Gordon, director of solid waste collection for Toronto, ON, has been in the waste industry since 1992. He reports that the amalgamation of Toronto and several surrounding communities in 1998 gave the operation a population base of 2.5 million, where they collect solid waste from 510,000 single-family homes. Furthermore, Toronto collects three kinds of solid waste: that destined for the landfill, recyclables, and biodegradables. “Our focus is on residential collection because the city contracts out nearly all commercial collection. Our vehicles average seven years in the fleet. Residents have a 13-gallon bin supplied by the city for SSO, or source-separated organics, but must provide the rest of the containers, whether they’re cans or bags.”

Gordon says the city’s fleet of 84 trucks average 825 stops per day when picking up SSO and garbage. “The 103 trucks picking up SSO and recyclables average 625 stops a day. We use 4-gallon blue boxes for recycling, but some homes will have four to five of those boxes, and they must be placed back on the curb. There’s no limit to how much recycling we’ll do. We’ve divided Toronto in half. One week we collect garbage and SSO, and the other week we collect recyclables and SSO.”

A third type of pickup operation, which takes 48 trucks, focuses on yardwaste, including tree limbs and shrubs, and runs weekly in the spring and fall and biweekly in the summer. That collection period runs from April 15 to Nov. 15. “The majority of all our collection is from the front curb, with collection starting at 7 a.m. We have an incentive program, so those who are finished by 3 p.m. can go home and still get credit for 10 hours.” That’s because his people work four 10-hour days per week.

The vehicles for recycling and SSO have lone operators and are side-loading, with the bins separated 70% for recycling and 30% for SSO. “We began with 48-inch hopper heights, but our open-bid specs now call for 36 inches, and the side-loaders come from Labrie in Quebec City. They build the bodies. The cabs and chassis are Freightliners, which are built in the States. They go to Fontaine in North Carolina and are modified for right-hand drive.” The operator can drive from both sides. When using the right side, he simply steps out on the curb, loads the truck, steps back in and goes on his way.

Compaction pressure is 900 pounds on the garbage side. The other is not compacted, though, in order to ensure easier removal of recyclables and to prevent the SSO material from dripping on the street. It’s a way of being a good neighbor when dealing with ugly waste.

Automatic collection is relatively new, but Toronto uses Labrie side-loaders with automated arms, primarily at condo and apartment locations. “We’re doing some piloting to evaluate whether to go automated with the whole fleet. We do have backup sensors on all the trucks that will apply brakes when an object is detected, and we also have backup cameras on all single-person vehicles. They have bus-style mirrors on the front fenders, and lower-step cab entries for easier mounting and dismounting. All are radio-dispatched, so if there’s any kind of a problem the operator can radio for assistance.”

The focus on driver comfort has significantly reduced worker comp claims during the past three years, and the focus on safety has also reduced the number of mishaps involving their vehicles. “Automated collection is the trend. We’re testing 64-gallon carts on wheels for recycling. It will be automatically collected. We’re also picking up SSO with automated arms and doing a pilot program on recyclables in blue plastic bags to see if that increases the amount of recyclables put out. We’re also experimenting with weekly collection, as well as SSO collection from 30 apartment buildings. Diversion in apartments is just 12%, while the diversion in single-family homes is 49%.” One plan is to start charging for waste to increase diversion in apartments. The more the residents divert into the city programs, the less they would pay because less would be going to the landfill.

Start With the Truck
“In the waste industry, simpler is better,” declares Melissa Gauger, marketing manager for International Truck and Engine Corp. in Warrenville, IL. “With all the stop-and-go on the route and the terrain of many landfills, a truck that will be successful for the long-term is one that is productive, easy to use, and trouble-free. Trucks are lasting longer and longer, particularly when the user has a more sophisticated maintenance shop.”

Gauger cites better integration between body and chassis as an important element. “Then you can have multiplexed electrical systems, so when the vehicle is put in reverse it automatically lights up in the back and the camera turns on automatically. This helps eliminate driver error.” Citing information on International waste collection trucks, she notes the company’s 4000 and 7000 series are designed to help maximize the number of stops between the number of hauls, whether that haul is to a transfer station or a landfill, yet also improve driver environment over earlier models. The goal is to keep the vehicle collecting solid waste and boost driver comfort at the same time. And increased visibility is one of the factors for that increased comfort.

“One of our innovations has been the increase of the wheel cut from 34 degrees on our 4900 Series to 43 degrees on our 7400 Series. This shortens the radius by nearly 7 feet, which reduces the need for three-point turnarounds in tight areas. The less backing an operator has to do, the less chance for something to go wrong. Plus, turnarounds requiring backing take up valuable time, especially when productivity in a community can hit 130 stops per hour.”

But for International, the variety of sizes can help reduce fleet operation costs. “The 7000 is our most popular heavy-duty truck, while the 4000 is used for smaller routes that utilize transfer stations and the CF Series satellite-type truck, with 6-8–yard capacity works well in subdivisions where weight limitation is a factor.” Again, the right vehicle helps maintain a good neighbor image because it's not causing subsidence where paving tends to be on the economical side.

Tailoring a Vehicle
There are times when general manufacturing doesn’t answer specific challenges. That’s when savvy collection agencies look for modification companies so the vehicle can better serve local needs. Once such firm is Fontaine Modification Co. in Charlotte, NC. Wade Roskam, vice president of sales and marketing, comments, “Our biggest core-product demands for refuse modifications include alternative fuel delivery systems, installation of TELMA brake retarders, drop-frame modifications to accommodate specific refuse and recycle bodies, and stand-up, right-hand drive and sit-down dual drive options.

“Dropping the cab entry and exit height makes the vehicle more efficient and tremendously safer. With a stand-up, right-drive–equipped vehicle, operators can walk in and out of the truck curbside 1,200 times a day, which eliminates getting in and out of traffic and provides a shorter walk to the receptacle.” The design means less stair-stepping than before, which also helps reduce worker’s comp claims.

Another advantage is consistency of components. For instance, should half of a bifold door need to be replaced, a fleet mechanic can accomplish the task in less than 30 minutes. Roskam points out, “We use all-aluminum doors. This reduces door weight by 60% over traditional steel doors, putting less stress on the hinges.”

Yet another advantage when dealing with a national modification company is parts availability. Replacement parts are available through OEM truck dealers. Local availability of replacement parts through servicing truck dealerships makes it easier to keep trucks on the road. “The whole business of waste-collection vehicles is uptime. We work hard to make sure when customers have issues they’re able to get parts quickly.”

The company also is strong concerning visibility. “With stand-up operation you get tremendously better curbside visibility. Plus, manufacturers are providing better wheel-turn clearance on conventional trucks. Newer models have a much better ability to turn in cul-de-sacs. With our modifications we provide additional visibility through right-side and forward-angled window glass. Often we are asked to furnish and install rear-mounted cameras, which can provide a better view of the area directly behind the body. The trend is for much greater use of cameras and monitors in the cab. Remote-control mirrors, heated mirrors, and hood-mounted spot mirrors also complement the OEM factory mirror packages for this market segment.”

Keeping Up With Growth
Texas has always had a reputation for size, and Nancy Nevil, environmental waste services manager for Plano, TX, reports that the town has had massive growth in recent years and is just about residentially built-up, reaching 250,000. “Collin County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the US. At one time, we were adding 300-plus homes a month. We franchise out all commercial applications but have 26 automated trucks for trash and recycling. We use Crane Carrier cabs and Heil Rapid Rail bodies because 80% of our collection is from alleys, and we selected the truck and body that best maneuvers the tight alleys where we have to contend with fences, gas meters, telephone poles, parked cars, or anything else next to the container.

“The newer sections are 12 feet wide, but we still have older areas with alleys 10 feet wide. Fortunately, the geography is flat, the alleys fairly straight, and there’s a good turning radius for getting in and out of the alleys and negotiating corners,” Nevil says. “We use low-entry cabs because we collect bags outside the carts on the weeks following a city-designated holiday. The average day’s route involves 1,000–1,100 stops.”

Under adoption is a DVD system that takes a video of the side view of the truck during collection. This information is used when someone calls about damage to a fence or a car. “We can review the tape and determine whether we’re responsible. Another benefit of the DVD system is that we can use it to perform spot-check reviews of the driver and how he’s operating. We also use a Teletrac system to let us know where the vehicle is at all times and to track the vehicle’s speed.

“Our collection trucks are also furnished with a DriveCam in the cab, which records what happens several seconds prior to accidents.” The driver can activate the camera, or it starts automatically upon impact to show what’s happening inside and outside the vehicle. Nevil says this has really helped in determining fault, including wrecks where waste haulers were not involved. “This technology is also used in other city vehicles.”

When is it best to remove a vehicle from the fleet? “Automated vehicles last us five to seven years. With each one we have to determine whether it is more cost-effective to replace it rather than take on major maintenance or repairs. The other factor considered is the work environment of employees. They’re in those vehicles all day, and we want to provide drivers with the best equipment possible. Public image also is an essential consideration—as well as new technology available with newer models.” Disposal is via public online auction, and that technology is faster and more cost-effective than the older technology of a live auction.

Maximum Maneuverability
“A study of traffic flow is crucial to good route planning,” declares Houston Ratledge, product manager for Heil Environmental Ltd. in Chattanooga, TN. Speaking from 46 years in the industry, he says, “You also need to consider route layout and route traps such as dead ends or cul-de-sacs, as well as the best chassis-body size for your vehicles. The temptation to collect both sides of the street at the same time with a rear-loader should be avoided in practically all scenarios.”

Look instead, he says, at right-hand turns as much as possible to minimize two-lane crossovers and maximize efficiency. “Safety must be in the forefront in route planning, thus street crossing by swampers should be avoided. Safety is crucial for all refuse-collection vehicles, so keep in mind that children more often play in cul-de-sacs. Do not go cheap on the camera system, which could place your operating agency in jeopardy.”

Ratledge discusses the trend to automation. “Our Rapid Rail was developed back in the ’70s by Marc Straiger, an engineer recognized as the godfather of automated waste collection. Heil purchased his company in 1990, and Marc worked for us until his recent retirement. It’s capable of servicing 1,000–1,500 homes per day. Benefits revolve around higher efficiency and lower personnel injury. It is a one-man operation, and he never has to leave the cab, so personal injury is almost nonexistent.”

Ratledge points out that the Rapid Rail is available for any brand of collection vehicle ranging from 16 to 32 cubic yards and practically any collection scenario. “It can handle containers from 30 to 300 gallons. A good operator will be route-efficient in three weeks and in three months will be very good. Dexterity is an ingredient, but proficiency in using the machine is a quick study.”

He cites the collection cycle. “First, the arm reaches for the container. Second, it folds its arms around the container bear-hug style. Then it lifts and retracts simultaneously, pulling the container safely to the vehicle in a raised position. It then dumps, depositing the contents into the hopper. The latter part of the cycle consists of lowering the container and sending it back to the curbside before releasing it and retracting the arm so the driver can proceed to the next pick.”

What is the actual cycle time? “I ran a route in the Phoenix area, and we made a pick every 22 seconds on that particular route,” Ratledge replies.

Magnets in Motion
After more than 40 years in the waste industry, Roy Barbatti, national sales manager for refuse for Intec Video Systems Inc. in Laguna Hills, CA, sums up the challenge waste-collection vehicles deal with no matter where they operate: “A garbage truck is like a magnet; it attracts little children. With automation and lone occupants in these vehicles, [the operators] need the additional visibility cameras provide. The operator needs to focus on safety in and out of traffic while making up to 150 residential stops an hour.”

Don Nama, president of Intec, points out that cameras also help drivers grab the container correctly on the first attempt, even if the homeowner has placed it backward. “Cameras help operators avoid damage to nearby obstacles, such as parked cars, as well as overhead limbs.”

Barbatti continues, “With automation you’re putting twice the route work on the shoulders of one man. Still, with cameras that operator is able to look at the material in the container so he doesn’t take on hazardous material, such as paint or pieces of an engine. When he sees such he can reset the container rather than get cited at the landfill. Knowing who is the generator of illicit material is an advantage for fleet operators.”

Nama points out, “With cameras, when you dump the can you can see that it’s completely empty, that it’s not partially jammed. This reduces calls to mayors and city managers complaining that you missed a pickup. It gets route operators and managers out of the blame game.”

Barbatti says, “Cameras give the operator the advantage of doing his job in a precise and safe manner. Blind spots are taken away. He can see and record what’s happening when it happens.”

So what should fleet managers look for in cameras? Nama answers, “You need a system appropriate to the vehicle and application. You can have anywhere from one to five cameras that provide the view the operator needs. You want cameras that truly help with risk management, that work in low-light conditions, and whose lenses have wide fields of view to help you see the motorcyclist that’s just passing right next to your vehicle.”

Barbatti sums up the increased need for cameras: “Automation allows for one person in the vehicle to efficiently collect the waste. When there’s just one man in the cab he needs that camera.”

Vehicle Visibility
When a waste collection vehicle is involved in an accident, it’s not unusual for the other driver to comment, “I didn’t see him.” That’s the result of both parties striving to keep a low profile by using colors that blend well with the local landscape, as well as the need to work regardless of weather conditions or whatever else is happening along the street or in the alley. One answer is adequate lighting—and proper maintenance of those lights.

Says John Golden, salesman for the Amber Sales Division of Whelen Engineering Company Inc. in Chester, CT, “We’ve designed complete lighting systems specifically for waste vehicles. We had a very large fleet in our area that had a high accident rate. There were many different situations, such as backing into other vehicles, while turning, or even being struck when stopped.” He said causes included improper installation of lights, the wrong intensity for working conditions, or poor cleaning when lights became dirty. When the company retrofitted its fleet with the new systems, Golden says, its accident rate dropped to zero.

He comments that the vehicles’ lights are rated for 100,000 hours of service, for a lifetime average of about 11 years. Golden adds, “Decent lights will outlive the vehicle if installed properly. With proper installation, lighting is optimized. Water, vibration, moisture—nothing can hurt the lights. Whether daytime, nighttime, or poor weather conditions, others can see the lights before actually seeing the vehicle. This gives them time to stop or to take proper evasive action when needed.”

He reports that the company’s systems are designed for all types of waste-collection vehicles of any given size or brand, whether front-, rear-, or side-loaders. “We don’t buy modular assemblies but design our own. We have the raw parts and can design the lighting package to best fit the needs of any waste-collection fleet.”

Don’t Forget the Software
For Southern Oregon Sanitation Inc. in Grants Pass, OR, the challenge is dealing with 20,000 customers—both residential and commercial and in 10 municipalities—and do it with just 14 vehicles. “Our work is largely rural, with 80% of it residential,” explains Trent Carpenter, director of operations. “It used to be that each truck handled 300 customers on a heavy day. Now they’re making 800–900 pickups on a heavy day.”

While automation has helped make a big difference in productivity, Carpenter notes that the company also developed its own software program to maximize efficiency. “There’s not a huge learning curve with Accu-Trax,” he says. “Drivers with a background in computers pick it up right away, while those who are new to computers need a day or two to get comfortable with the program.”

Carpenter says that drivers can report new problems, such as NCO while on-the-go. “If there’s an extra can out, all the driver has to do is hit a button, and the extra charge is instantly put into the billing for that specific address. We also have cameras to help record such problems, and we’re using Safety Vision or Clarion cameras. Then, when the customer gets his bill a month later, we have the photo to show why the extra charge. And the same when there’s NCO and the customer complains we missed him that day.”

Carpenter adds, “Another nice feature of our software is that if one of our drivers is going to help another, he doesn’t have to come back to the shop but gets a list of that specific route and knows exactly where to start picking up. A mini-sized computer with a touch screen makes it a lot easier to coordinate vehicle movement.”

Southern Oregon Sanitation also believes in cameras for visibility, even though its service is largely rural. “Even without a computer system you want cameras. One on a rear-loader, for example, cuts 45 minutes off a driver’s day, yet lets him operate safely and more quickly in tight situations. Instead of backing within 2 feet of a container, he can back right up to it.”

When asked about the impact of onboard computers and other automation elements, including the Wayne Curb Tender, he comments, “We’ve given our operators membership at the gym because they’re not burning calories as they used to.”

Dealing With Choices
When it comes to buying replacement vehicles, the choices out there are almost without number. One way to simplify that selection is to seek out a dealership with staffers who can help ensure fleet operators make the best choices for specific conditions, people who have studied the industry and who have a good handle on what’s available.

“We have reps that specialize in refuse equipment, recommending the special features individual fleets may need to improve performance as well as enhance safety,” reports Tommy McGhee, national sales manager for Rush Truck Center LLC in New Braunfels, TX.

“Automation is the biggest trend. Fuel costs have impacted fleets, and they’re looking for ways to save on fuel.” This means municipal operations and private collection companies need safe ways to boost productivity, reducing the cost of operation—and make any changes affordably.

“Rent-to-own is one way our customers can test new equipment,” McGhee explains. “RTO gives them a chance to see whether the new features really make a difference. If they’re pleased, then they can become owners. If the vehicle needs further refinements to better address their needs, they can test those refinements without first making a major investment.” He sees RTO as sort of an insurance program. Like insurance, it isn’t free. But, like insurance, when something goes wrong with the original choice, the decision maker isn’t left holding the bag.

McGhee concludes, “If cash is tight, that’s another reason for rent-to-own. Basically, it’s a temporary means for responding to an unexpected need. That’s because in the long-term everybody ends up purchasing the vehicle that’s customized to best meet their needs without breaking their budget.”

Author Lynn Tilton is a frequent contributor to Forester Communications publications.

MSW - March/April 2006