Dallas sanitation collection is still facing delays despite a push for more new equipment and mechanics to keep it running. Now the Sanitation Director says the city is struggling to hire and train enough drivers for the job.
Blue recycling carts were still on the street in one townhome community near Hampton and Red Bird Lane Friday morning after Thursday’s scheduled collection.
“It's been at least a year since I've been here that recycle pick up gets missed at least twice a month,” said resident Darryl Baker.
He said he accepted city promises during that time that the problem would be solved but when full recycling cans were left standing again on his street Friday, he contacted NBC5.
“We need to do at least the basic things,” Baker said.
Last year, the city warned residents about a rash of equipment failure that was causing delays. City mechanics could not keep up with the breakdowns.
Sanitation Director Kelly High said a large number of trucks were purchased between 2008 and 2010, around the time Dallas launched curbside recycling citywide.
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“So those trucks that were bought then are now aging,” he said. “So we kind of have a bubble of the number of trucks that are aging at the same time.”
Records obtained by NBC5 showed 1,384 sanitation trucks were towed between January 2017 and September 2018. The city paid $58,340 in towing fees alone. One truck was towed 15 times in a 16-month period. High said that truck was still in the city’s fleet Friday.
In December, the City Council received a consultant’s report about the problem. It recommended more new equipment and more mechanics and better communication between the department that runs the trucks and the department that fixes them.
Friday, City Council Member Casey Thomas, who represents Darryl Baker’s neighborhood, said the city also needs better communication with residents.
“If we have a shortage of personnel, let’s admit that. If we have a shortage of vehicles, let’s just say that. Let's make sure people understand, this is something that we're working on,” Thomas said.
Many of the recommended changes have started to happen. Sanitation director Kelly High told NBC5 Friday that the arrival of new trucks and improvements in the repair shop the past few months have reduced the problem with broken down equipment. But now he said there is a new problem with hiring and training enough drivers to operate the equipment.
A recycling collection truck and crew did arrive around lunchtime Friday on Darryl Baker’s street. After hearing about the manpower problem, he hopes collection happens on schedule next week.
“At least put us sometimes at the top of the list for this recycling. That way the pain could be spread out equally,” Baker said.
