Miami-Dade, Fla., Updates Waste Collection Fleet

The Miami-Dade County, Fla., Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) has begun receiving replacement vehicles for about 50 percent of its automated waste collection fleet, used for residential curbside garbage service.

Already, DSWM reported it has received 60 of the scheduled 77 vehicles, with 36 deployed and weekly arrivals scheduled to continue through early September. This first phase of the automated fleet replacement program is a $22 million investment in equipment that will provide drivers with the latest equipment and service area customers with efficient service, according to the company.

The trucks that are being retired have provided waste collection service to more than 330,000 households twice per week, 52 weeks each year for at least a decade. Additional replacement vehicles will come online over the next year.

“With over 330,000 households in our service area, our waste collection operation is one of the largest government-run programs in the southeastern United States. Our employees and our vehicles work hard, so reliable equipment is a must,” said Alina Hudak, DSWM director and deputy mayor, in a statement. “We’re pleased and proud to deploy these new trucks into our automated fleet which will reduce mechanical breakdowns and delays for our drivers and result in efficient and reliable services that our customers expect and deserve.”

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In the coming weeks, service area residents will begin to notice the bright and shiny white waste collection trucks in neighborhoods throughout the DSWM 320-square-mile service area. The vehicles include an important safety message on the rear panel that reminds motorists driving behind to exercise caution and stay back 50 feet from the truck, which makes frequent stops.

Three of the new trucks being deployed are painted pink as part of DSWM’s initiative to support and spread year-round breast cancer awareness. Branded with the message “Let’s Trash Cancer,” the first of the breast cancer awareness trucks was originally unveiled at WasteExpo 2018 in Las Vegas in April. An additional two trucks are branded with this message. All three vehicles will be used throughout the service area.

In the coming months, the new trucks will be used for important messaging about the county’s integrated waste management system and to promote community awareness and participation in the “Let’s Clean Things Up” litter prevention and community pride campaign.