Press Release: For Immediate Release, November 20, 2008
Public Works Department, City of Easley, SCCity of Easley Streamlines Curbside Debris RemovalNotice of Change of Service: Residential Curbside Debris RemovalThe Department of Public Works of the City of Easley is very pleased to announce a change in your residential curbside debris removal that will result in a dramatic decrease in fuel consumption, wear and tear on equipment, and man hours required to complete the routes. Your curbside debris will still be collected each week as we always have, but there will be a slight change to the service as described below.
Easley Public Works has recently completed the testing, training, and deployment of an innovative new GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) system developed by Clemson, SC based PinPoint GeoTech, LLC.
The problem with debris removal services has been that in order to pick up leaves, brush, appliances, furniture, and other miscellaneous items left out for pickup the debris crews would have to ride down each city street each week looking for debris to pick up. Even if there was no debris to pick up an a particular road, they had to go look anyway resulting in many miles of unnecessary driving each week.
The new system is a GPS based touch screen computer mounted on the dashboard of the city sanitation trucks. The sanitation truck drivers are unique in that they are required to ride down each city street each week to pick up residential garbage. This puts the driver of the sanitation truck in a unique position to spot, categorize, and mark debris piles awaiting pickup.
By simply pressing one of up the six category buttons on the touch screen, the driver is able to get an accurate location and type of debris logged into the unit. At the end of his daily garbage collection route, the driver is able to upload the data to a mapping system in the public works office. From there, the office manager can dispatch the debris crews to each location the next business day after the garbage is collected if possible. Therein lies the reason for the change in service.
In the past, the debris and garbage routes were run on the same day in the same zones. Starting January 12, 2009 the yard debris will be collected the next business day after your normal household garbage is collected if possible.
Since the debris crews will know exactly where each pile is and what type of pile it is, they will be able to dispatch directly and only to the piles marked. This will result in cutting debris routes as much as forty percent during the seasons where debris piles are fewer in number. The system will pay for itself in terms of fuel consumption alone in less than one year.
Several other benefits to the PinPoint Public Works system include risk aversion through fewer miles of hazardous driving, lower carbon emissions from diesel and gasoline trucks, and the ability to re-task crews to handle other municipal needs as they complete their debris routes quicker.
The end result is that your curbside debris removal service will still occur each week as it always had with the one exception that the debris crews will come to your area the next business day after you garbage is picked up if possible. The other end result is that your city will be saving money, avoiding risks, and working more efficiently.
CLICK HERE to watch the PinPoint GeoTech movieCLICK HERE TO VISIT THE PUBLIC WORKS WEBSITEFor more information Contact:Street and Solid Waste Supervisor
David Lappin
Phone: 864-855-7916
Email:
dlappin@cityofeasley.comOR...
Staff Assistant
Emily Morgan
Phone: 864-855-7916
Email:
emorgan@cityeasley.com
