Firefighters can't ride the back step but why can garbage men?

[irishfire2491 24]

BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SEATBELTS ON THE BACK OF THE FIRETRUCK

Garbage truck go 3 feet and stop another 2 feet and stop and fire truck goes 2-8 miles and goes at a rapid speed thourgh heavy traffic and red lights and the driver heart is racing off the scale.

[LTNRFD 266]

LTNRFD - It doesn't sound like you have ever worked on the back of a garbage truck. Most guys I know run from stop to stop, hustle their butts off with no break other than to make a trip to the dump, just to get done around 2:00. Now picture the guys walking from house to house with a couple of ten minute breaks. I think your estimation of 5:00 may be a little light. I know on the routs I was on taking our time easily would have turned into 10 hour days. (10 hour days X 5 days a week X 3 guys a truck, you do the math!)

SEJ28 You are correct. I guess you missed the LOL at the end. I do know that most G-men do work their butts off to get done by 2:00. The cities and towns that allow this as a little perk to the men so as not to have the route go over into a O.T. day, under normal situation. With that being said they (cities & towns) also look the other way as to how it is accomplished. I have seen trucks driven down the wrong way of oneway streets. Going left of yellow and back to the other side all the way down the street. Blocking the middle of the street or the entire street when they could pull to the side. Backing up at high speeds down a dead end street. The list goes on and on. In simple terms, breaking the DMV Laws to get done early and to prevent O.T.

I know it is a tough job and I'm greatful that there are people out there that will take my trash away. I wouldn't do it for what you get paid, and even alot more. That is why I also take care of the guys on my route at this time of the year and during the year. Something that alot of people don't do because they believe that the G-men get paid enough. I have been told that about being a firefighter.

Someone has to do it.

Edited December 6, 2007 by LTNRFD

[x635 4,066]

In California and Florida, they have "Union Buster" garbage trucks.

You're issued cans from the city in which you live, on collection day place them on the curb, and a side loader garbage truck with an arm and comes by and picks up the garbage. This results in the need for only ONE driver/operator.

For dumpsters, they use the fork/overhead style garbage trucks.

Some of this is related to the heat, but a majority of the trash removal is done via private company-the majority I see is Waste Management- and less labor costs means more profits. Also, I'm told their insurance bill is a LOT lower since they don't have anyone riding on the back.

Anyways, I completly understand why sanitation workers ride the back step. However, I feel that there should be cameras on the back so the driver can see, a helmet and a relfective orange coat/shirt for the workers, and a harness that allows them to clip in-in addition to speed restrictions. What I do not understand is the sanitation workers that hang on the back step....just recently, I saw one on the rear of a muncipal truck, going about 40MPH.

[Guest]

Stamford just issued every resident a large garbage can with the mechanical loading capability. There are still three garbage men riding on the truck, one driver two on the back. I haven't actually seen them lift any of the cans yet with the loader, the men just pick the can up and dump it into the back. I guess if they are presented with a very heavy can they can hook it up to the loader for mechanical dumping. Funny thing with Stamford is that the city issued each household one can that i think is 90 gallons capacity, an instruction manual came with the can and a list of regulations on where you can place the can in the driveway etc. It also included a paper that said that you are only allowed to put that particular can out for pickup... if you put one of YOUR cans that you've been using forever, that can would be taken and disposed of... GARBAGE NAZIS. As for the job of garbage men, when i was in high school i would wait for the bus at around the same time the garbage truck would be coming through the neighborhood. I observed these guys, through every type of weather bust their butts to take the garbage. Not only is it physically demanding as someone posted above, but to be able to handle the smell in high august.... god bless. I think their contribution to the city is greatly overlooked as well as greatly under appreciated. I have a cousin who is a sanitation worker in NYC and he tells me war stories how they are often caught in the middle of all sorts of strange situations including shootings and stabbings. A sanitation worker in Brooklyn was actually caught in the gunfire of a shooting in Bed-Stuy and he was killed. These guys are troopers to deal with all the things they deal with. Hats Off!

[JohnnyOV 2]

In California and Florida, they have "Union Buster" garbage trucks.

You're issued cans from the city in which you live, on collection day place them on the curb, and a side loader garbage truck with an arm and comes by and picks up the garbage. This results in the need for only ONE driver/operator.

I have never seen this our garbage truck down here has 3 guys like back home in NY

[BFD1054 1,552]

Chris192...Back to Commo? No thanks. I definately wasnt happy there, not a job for me, to say the least. Enjoyed the people i worked with and for, thats about it though. Besides, i make at least twice the ammount now then i did back then, plus straight days and less headaches lol! Not that working Sanitation was my overall plan when i left Commo. I went back to school to finish my degree so i could start the NYPD academy. While working part-time at the DPW, i was offered a full-time job and couldn't turn it down, especially since the starting pay for the NYPD is $25k .

My 20-30mph comment was reflecting my FD. I dont know where you are that you see fire trucks going 40-50mph, but it aint in Buchanan lol. There is really no road in my district that would allow any driver to get the rig up to 40-50mph before having to stop or turn.

As far as riding the g-truck, i like to walk as much as possible during the route for a few reasons. For one, its added excercise, its safer than riding the step and its a pain in the a$$ climbing on and off the truck all day.

LTNRFD - Thank you. I like how you admit that its a tough job and that you take care of your g-men. You're absolutely right about people thinking we get paid enough as it is. As you said, im sure its no better in the FD, because you know, you're just "doing your job."

PCFD ENG58 - Thanks bro! Its definately a work out, thats for sure. We average about 18,000lbs a day and dont stop til the last can is emptied. Glad to hear you moved over to the FD. Id still love to get on the job with an FD someday, somewhere. If nothing else, this job is keeping me in shape, which may help me on agility tests lol.

Seth - I've never heard that term "Union Buster" before, i like it lol. They are becomming very popular all over the U.S. They have them in North Carolina as well. My buddy has a house on the Outter Banks and its the same situation. You are issued (1) can and it is picked up by a hydraulic arm that comes off the side of the truck. The driver is the only one on the truck and operates the arm with a joystick in the cab.

These are popular since you only need one worker, instead of 2 or 3. It must be alot safer, but there are pro's and con's to everything.

As far as reflective shirts/vests go; we were just issued reflective shirts and vests this past summer. We are mandated to wear either or at all times, which i think is a good thing.

[x635 4,066]

I have never seen this our garbage truck down here has 3 guys like back home in NY

Sorry, I meant Phoenix AZ, not Florida although I have seen some districts in the Orlando and Fort Lauderdale areas with them.

Here are two versions I saw while in Phoneix in September. May have something to do with the desert heat, but I know there are other reasons as well.

[Oswegowind 17]

I DON'T CARE WHY GARBAGE MEN ARE ALLOWED TO RIDE ON THE BACK AND WE AREN'T.

Well said as usual...same with you Swank!

The single man trucks as seen above are the wave of the future, technology at it's greatest. Now the only problem is we will have a bunch of fat slob g-men instead of those we see everyday who are in good shape! The "robot" garbage trucks are cool and innovative! No more back injuries/pain, no more tragedies, now if people could recycle better!