Beautiful Beasts

Putting attractive garbage trucks on the road is not only good for business, it's good for the community. And sometimes looking good involves more than simply keeping a truck clean and maintained. A slick paint job or an informative message can make a big difference in how your firm is perceived and even in how the public approaches waste disposal and recycling.

“We get e-mails through our online system, and people will talk about the trucks,” says Ken Gould, manager of new business development for the Houston branch of Abitibi Recycling Services. “They'll e-mail us and say ‘I saw your truck’ or ‘I saw the design and I really like it. It made me remember to go to the bin.’ So it's just one more way to reinforce the recycling message with consumers when they see our safe drivers rolling down the highway.”

A successful design can consist of little more than an effectively displayed logo and contact information. It also can be playful, full of color and unique mascots, helping to contravene the general perception that garbage trucks are grim, utilitarian vehicles.

With our annual design contest, Waste Age honors those firms who make hauling waste easy on the eyes. The editors of Waste Age congratulate this year's winners. They stand as examples of what can be accomplished when haulers view their fleets not just as trucks, but as rolling canvasses.

The Winners

Best Overall - City of Philadelphia
Best Front Loader - Abitibi Consolidated, Recycling Division Houston
Best Side Loader - City of El Paso, Texas, Environmental Services
Best Rear Loader - Texas Disposal Systems Buda, Texas
Best Container Delivery Vehicle - E.O.M.S. Recycling West Bridgewater, Mass.