Garbage trucks also known as trash trucks, refuse trucks or sanitation trucks, can trace their roots all the way back to ancient civilizations when people first realized that they needed to get rid of their trash in an efficient way. The first "garbage trucks" would have been simple carts that were pushed around by humans to collect unwanted waste. As societies grew, the need for waste removal grew with it and pretty soon the carts became larger and were drawn by horses instead of humans.

With the introduction of the automobile at the turn of the 20th century, garbage trucks became mechanized but they were still primitive by today's standards and were no more than pick up trucks with trash being thrown onto an open bed on the back. The covered body trash compactor made its first appearance in the 1930's and a revolution in waste collection was underway. Having an enclosed body made it so trash would not fly all over the place and the stench of rotting trash would not fill the streets. Over the subsequent years garbage trucks have evolved to become the efficient pieces of machinery we have today.

In recent times, the handling of waste produced by an ever growing global population has become a challenge for towns and cities around the world. This trend is providing a great opportunity for those who are in the street sweeping business to expand their current operations and for those who are looking to enter the street sweeping industry. One significant advantage about the sweeping industry is that it is not prone to recession like other industries because the service of keeping our streets and neighborhoods clean and sanitary is a basic human need which will never diminish.

If you decide to expand your existing sweeping business or are looking to start and new venture within this lucrative industry, then you must decide what type of street sweeper trucks to purchase for your business. You should consider the brand and model of sweeper based on the type of sweeping you plan on doing. For example, light duty street sweeping can be accomplished with an air street sweeper while heavier duty applications such as construction site sweeping will require a more robust mechanical broom sweeper.

There has been a lot of talk about alternative fuel garbage trucks and street sweepers in the last few years, yet there are still a great number of questions about these vehicles that people have.  We will try to give you some key takeaways to help educate you on these revolutionary vehicles that are shaping the future of their respective industries.

Why Should I Consider an Alternative Fuel Vehicle?

There are both economic and environmental reasons to consider alternative fuel garbage trucks and street sweepers for your fleet.  Natural gas, in both compressed (CNG) and liquefied form (LNG), is the primary alternative fuel that is currently being used in sanitation and street sweeper fleets.  Natural gas is a fossil fuel but it can also be produced as a by-product of decomposition of organic materials.

Truck maintenance always has a cost, but performing preventative maintenance will save you money in the long run by keeping your vehicles on the road and reducing downtime for any major repairs or service which could cost you even more.

The solid waste industry is extremely demanding and the garbage collection trucks which operate within this industry face severe working conditions on a daily basis which can wreak havoc on these trucks. Keeping trash trucks on their routes requires regular routine maintenance which can be both time consuming and costly, however, the alternative scenario of an out of commission truck is even more costly.

The waste management industry in the United States has combined annual revenues of over $75 billion and is continually growing with increased demand driven by population growth as well as greater consumer consumption. Waste disposal first became a major industry soon after World War II with a booming U.S. economy and the proliferation of suburbs. The introduction of stricter federal antipollution laws in the 1960s such as the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965 made it so that waste materials required professional disposal services, and individuals no longer had the option of burning trash in the incinerator. Sweeping environmental laws passed in the 1960s and 1970s also mandated the safe disposal of industrial waste materials which introduced another new area of waste management. As current landfills are being stretched to their limit, many trash collection services are also offering trash recycling in addition to regular collection which is another area of rapid expansion in the industry.