At the March 12 Board of Supervisors meeting, representatives from AJ Blosenski/Waste Connections presented their plan to improve service in the Township, citing more driver training & adding a recycling truck as steps they are currently planning to take. Jim Clark, Marcas Smith and Paul Diaz attended the meeting and fielded questions from residents.
Why So Many Missed and Late Collections?
Paul Diaz opened the presentation with an apology for the missed and delayed pick-ups. He identified two main components for the service lapses: the transition when Waste Connections acquired AJ Blosenski in September 2022 and the fact that the recycling trucks have been getting filled up and been unable to finish their routes.
What is Waste Connections Doing to Fix the Service Issues?
They are taking the following steps to resolve these issues:
- Training the new drivers, with a particular emphasis on those homes that are frequently missed. When needed, a Route Supervisor is accompanying drivers on their routes to explore the frequently missed stops and assist with training on their new route
- Adding a fifth recycling truck
When Waste Connections took over operations of AJ Blosenski, they found that many drivers were working 13-16 hour shifts. To bring operations in-line with safety guidelines, many new drivers needed to be hired, and some experienced drivers left the company. Waste Connections noted that the turn-by-turn system they use to guide drivers needs to be updated to include certain homes that are often missed. While the new hires are qualified CDL drivers, many of the experienced drivers that left the company had knowledge of their routes that is not necessarily captured by the programmed routes given to new drivers.
The company is adding a fifth recycling truck to the township’s routes, starting on March 19.
Residents Expressed Their Frustrations and Expectations
Supervisor Raj Kumbhardare emphasized the fact that residents who are missed week after week are becoming extremely frustrated with the lack of service and that no home should be missed two weeks in a row. WC acknowledged this and stated that they have supervisors working with drivers to make sure they are learning from their mistakes.
Many residents expressed the need for better communication. When trash and recycling is left uncollected for days at a time, it is unsightly and unsanitary. The Township has many means of getting updated information out to residents, and is dependent on the hauler to provide that information. Again, WC acknowledged that they would do their best to provide those updates.
What to Do When Your Trash and Recycling Are Not Collected
Overall guidance for missed or delayed pick-ups includes the following:
- Leave your bins at the curb. If they are not collected on Tuesday, the hauler will come on Wednesday.
- For missed service, email the Township at solidwaste@westwhiteland.org
How Can I Find Out When My Trash and Recycling Will Be Collected?
The Township posts updates using the following:
- Township website (you can sign up for notifications when a new News item is posted)
- Facebook and NextDoor
- eNews (Sign up here)
- CodeRed. This is the Township’s emergency notification system. It automatically calls all landlines (unless you have unsubscribed) and texts and/or calls and emails you if you have signed up previously. Sign up on the Township’s website to receive text messages and emails.
What About the Service Contract?
The Township's current contract with Waste Connections expires at the end of 2025. Looking to break that contract early has revealed that most new service contracts would cost 50-60% more than the current cost. Staff has tracked missed services and will be invoicing Waste Connections approximately $89,000 for recent missed pick-ups.