Observers often criticize the waste industry for being slow to adopt new technologies. In some ways, the criticism may be deserved. Then again, the industry may have been waiting for technologies better tailored to its needs and budgets. Affordable technologies that target specific needs are arriving on the scene, and waste companies are adopting them.

Today’s in-ground scale systems can resist the effects of water and lightning — longtime problems for transfer stations, landfills and other facilities. At the same time, intelligent scale-house software systems can direct and re-direct drivers when different parts of a facility open and close — a terrific idea for sites that struggle to manage hundreds of trucks arriving and leaving throughout the day.

Then there are new onboard scales that not only sound an alarm when a truck reaches its legal loading limit but can also be set to disable a truck’s lift arms to prevent overloading. That’s a fix for a hardworking driver that keeps coming back with over-the-limit citations. There’s more: Global positioning systems (GPS), route management and communications technologies inside waste truck cabs are making it easier for dispatchers to manage drivers and helping drivers better manage their routes and customers.