PDA

View Full Version : Waste Management for trash pickup



Steve Wurster
11-29-2012, 4:43 PM
Just wondering if anyone has Waste Management for their residential trash pickup. They were going around the neighborhood and quoted me a price that's basically half of what I have now with Allied Waste. Wanted to know if WM is a good company or if anyone has had any problems with them.

Thanks,
Steve

Brian Elfert
11-29-2012, 4:53 PM
If you like Allied Waste call them and let them know Waste Management is much cheaper. Some companies will match prices. My garbage is paid for three months in advance. They wouldn't refund my prepayment if I was switching to another garbage hauler. They did offer to match the price for my next three month payment period.

Garbage haulers seem to be like insurance companies. After a few years another waste hauler will offer a better price to get you to switch. I kinda like the idea of cities selecting a hauler for the entire city. The city puts the contract out for bid so you should be getting a good deal. One city locally does their own waste hauling and the price is cheaper than any commercial service.

Todd Burch
11-29-2012, 4:57 PM
WM here is a big deal. My old neighbor (move up and away, now he's back) is a bigwig there. When we had their service, it was fine (residential, suburban neighborhood). My current service, "Best", likes to "curb" the trash. We pay for "back door" pickup, and they are not supposed to carry it to the curb and drop it off, along with all the neighbors bags, into a big pile to wait for the truck.

Mac McQuinn
11-29-2012, 5:30 PM
I have WM and have been happy with the 20 years of service they've provided.
Mac

Larry Browning
11-29-2012, 5:36 PM
I live outside the city limits in Arkansas, so you may not have the same experience as I did. For a long while WM was the only game in town so to speak. Then several small local guys started hauling trash and started under biding WM. It got to be sort of like the gas wars we used to have back in the 60s. I ended up paying about half what WM had been charging. I think I am getting better service too. Many time I would find my trash can in my neighbors ditch, but that hasn't happened since I switched. One of the things WM did that made me mad was they were always adding on a "surcharge" for fuel which inflated their price from what they originally quoted.

Kevin Bourque
11-29-2012, 6:48 PM
I go with the lowest price.
It's just 2 guys with a truck picking up trash and dumping it into a hole in the ground.
It's not rocket science.

Lee Schierer
11-29-2012, 7:06 PM
We had a waste hauler that was driven out of business by WM because WM controlled the local landfill. WM took over their customers. They charge more than our previous service. They don't offer recycling which our other service did. Then changed our trash pick up day with no notice to us or any of the others on our route.

Jim Becker
11-29-2012, 9:00 PM
Steve, that's interesting...will have to check it out. Allied has the largest customer base around here (I'm around the corner from you literally) judging by the blue cans, so perhaps WM sees this as an opportunity to increase their routes. We've been happy with AWS, (huge difference from what happened with KWS when they got bought) but money is money...

Brad Sperr
11-29-2012, 9:36 PM
+1 on seeing if Allied will match the price from WM. I just had the same situation come up where a new trash provider offered pickup for half the price, and my current trash provider matched the competitor's price without hesitation.

Curt Fuller
11-29-2012, 10:34 PM
I found it interesting that you contract individually with a trash pickup company. In our small town the town has the contract and WM picks up for everyone in town. We have the big black garbage "cans" with hinged lids and wheels. I like it because they hold a lot and are easy to roll out to the curb when they're holding a lot. We also have recycling so we separate our trash and put paper, cardboard, aluminum, steel cans, and anything plastic with a '1' or '2' symbol in a separate container that they pick up every other week. I think WM does a great job in our town.

Ken Fitzgerald
11-29-2012, 10:37 PM
Curt.....We have the same circumstances here.

Jason Roehl
11-30-2012, 6:33 AM
I found it interesting that you contract individually with a trash pickup company. In our small town the town has the contract and WM picks up for everyone in town. We have the big black garbage "cans" with hinged lids and wheels. I like it because they hold a lot and are easy to roll out to the curb when they're holding a lot. We also have recycling so we separate our trash and put paper, cardboard, aluminum, steel cans, and anything plastic with a '1' or '2' symbol in a separate container that they pick up every other week. I think WM does a great job in our town.

Curt, I live just outside city limits--I even have city water/sewer, but no city trash pickup. We get trash and recycling service from a local outfit that has been known for better prices and service than WM. We do have to provide our own trash cans, but I don't see that as a big deal--for the difference in price from those places that do provide a large tote, I could replace my cans every year if I had to.

Jerome Stanek
11-30-2012, 6:39 AM
I have had Waste management and Allied also a Private hauler and all of them were good. We go with the cheapest one and the prices change constantly

Steve Wurster
11-30-2012, 7:36 AM
Thanks to all for replying. I'll call Allied and see if they'll match or come close. If not, I'm off to WM. For some reason I think Allied will accept a greater range of recycling grades than WM lists on their website, but I'd have to check the paperwork.

For those wondering why my trash isn't at the town/municipal level, the township doesn't do that. I guess it saves them money. I grew up about 30 minutes south of where I live now and that township contracts out but I think they might own the facility. I also lived in New Jersey for a couple years and the township handled things over there as well. I was surprised when I moved in with my now-wife and found she had a private contractor for trash. But she's lived in the same township almost her whole life so she figured this was typical.

@Jim B: I wondered where you lived. I'm in Devonshire, off Swamp Rd.

Rich Engelhardt
11-30-2012, 7:36 AM
It's just 2 guys with a truck picking up trash and dumping it into a hole in the ground.Most of them around here are down to one guy in the truck. It used to be four - one driver and two on the back and one in the front seat next to the driver. Then it was three, then two and now one.
We had WM at one time - along with probably a dozen or so others.
New outfit comes in and is priced under anyone else so everyone goes with them.
Prices creep up - sur charges like mentioned and other "normal hikes", then before you know it, the "new guys" are the same price as the "old guys",,,,and another "new guy" comes to town.

We always just go with the cheapest one that has the best price on the amount of service we need.
One of our old haulers charged a basic price for two containers and we had to pay for anything over that if we had more. Correction - we had to pay out the nose if we had an extra trash can or bag.
Make sure you check the fine print to see what they pick up that's included in the price and what the price of extra's is.

Brian Elfert
11-30-2012, 8:07 AM
For those wondering why my trash isn't at the town/municipal level, the township doesn't do that. I guess it saves them money. I grew up about 30 minutes south of where I live now and that township contracts out but I think they might own the facility. I also lived in New Jersey for a couple years and the township handled things over there as well. I was surprised when I moved in with my now-wife and found she had a private contractor for trash. But she's lived in the same township almost her whole life so she figured this was typical.


It is unusual for cities to provide trash service out here where I live. Almost every city requires each residence to hire a trash hauler. Cities that provide trash collection usually say it cuts down on street repairs with fewer heavy trash trucks.

One large suburb locally switched to a city wide trash hauler a few years back. The whole thing was very contentious. The various waste haulers claimed it was anti-competitive. Some city residents complained about government intrusion and taking away consumer choice. Some felt that prices might go up since residents can't play the companies against each other. My feeling is the price would be competitive since private haulers bid on the contract every year or two. I like city wide hauling because having five different haulers come by on trash day is just a huge waste of fuel.

Jim O'Dell
11-30-2012, 9:23 AM
I'm in an unincorporated area, so far, and we have 2 companies to choose from. We changed to WM soon after we moved in here. Neither company picks up separated recycling like we were used to when we lived in Fort Worth, well Benbrook to be correct. They started out that everything had to be bagged and we were limited to 10 bags, 3 guys per truck. Then it went to the rolling containers and the truck had an arm that picked them up and dumped into the truck, 1 guy per truck. Now the pull the stuff out of the rolling containers and throw into the back of the truck, 2 guys per truck. Guess the personnel savings vs the maintenance on the truck didn't save anything. They will pick up some extra now that isn't in the container where when the truck did it, it had to be in the container. Not sure how much extra...haven't pushed it. Jim.

Myk Rian
11-30-2012, 9:55 AM
How many of your neighbors are with your present company?

Our street is trying to get everyone with one hauler. Too many of those heavy trucks can play heck with the road.
Rest assured, after they get their hooks into you, the price WILL go up.

Ole Anderson
11-30-2012, 10:01 AM
I go with the lowest price.
It's just 2 guys with a truck picking up trash and dumping it into a hole in the ground.
It's not rocket science.

Actually it is getting to be almost rocket science with regard to where the trash ends up. I hope your guys aren't really just dumping it into a hole. Landfills (no more dumps) these days have to have multiple layer liners with leachate collection to be installed before they ever start dumping trash and surface clay or other impervious caps when they are done to minimize rainfall percolation through the trash that would otherwise create more leachate which can contaminate the groundwater. Many permits needed these days for a "sanitary landfill". And many larger landfills collect the methane produced from decomposing garbage and use it to run electrical generators.

Our township bids out trash collection services. As a result we only have one company running thru our sub per week. But they run 3 trucks. One smaller truck for random mixed recycle including paper, cardboard, almost all plastics and glass. Another for yard waste (branches grass clippings, leaves and garden waste). And then the main truck for all of the rest of the trash. Free pickup of appliances, furniture and small amounts of demolition material. Not bad for about $140 per year. And it all goes to the proper landfill or recycle center. Not just a hole in the ground.

It seems that I remember Waste Management got the bid years ago, but our current local contractor has had it for at least ten years. Waste Management is one of the largest nationwide waste haulers and operators of landfills.

Steve Wurster
11-30-2012, 10:09 AM
Just from driving through the parts of the neighborhood that I go through to get to and from my house, it seems like most of my neighbors are with my present company. I might have to ask a few to see what they thought of the Waste Management sales pitch.

And I'm sure the price will go up; that's why I'm hoping Allied will do some kind of price match. I don't have a problem with them; especially since they've collected everything I've ever put out there.

Art Mulder
11-30-2012, 10:38 AM
It's just 2 guys with a truck picking up trash and dumping it into a hole in the ground.
It's not rocket science.

Several years ago a friend of mine worked for the city and was on the garbage trucks.

He figured that maybe 1 in 10 guys could handle the job -- just because of the smell alone.(*) Then there is the considerable physical effort for all that bending, hoisting, and slinging things into the back of the truck. (Around here they toss things into the back of a truck, there is no curbside hydraulic lift or anything like that.)

* As for the smell... consider that double bagging your dog's doodoo doesn't really have any bearing when the masher in the truck squishes it all down.

Jim Koepke
11-30-2012, 3:21 PM
We have been thinking of hauling our own. It would likely then run us a buck or two a month.

One local company does all the hauling in our area. They do not pick up recyclables outside of the city limits. They do have a price structure that allows $2 for bringing in recyclables to their facilities. The regular charge for up to 3-32 gallon trash bags is $3. So with the credit for recyclables deducted from the regular charge brings it to $1.

Right now, it usually takes us a couple of weeks to fill a can and they don't have a structure to allow for limited pickups except by calling in and then it isn't really a savings over what we pay now.

I guess if I really wanted to, I could start a local collection company and pick up some spare cash. I'm getting too old for that kind of labor.

jtk

Jerome Stanek
11-30-2012, 4:49 PM
There a 4 different haulers that come by my place. We just pick the cheapest one and they all have to use the county recycle center.

Steve Wurster
12-03-2012, 1:22 PM
Update: I called Allied Waste and told them about the offer from Waste Management. Allied responded by giving me a 1 year deal for close to a third of what I'm paying right now. The service rep implied a number of people in the neighborhood are asking about this due to the push from Waste Management. So now I just need to remember to do this all again next year!

Brian Elfert
12-03-2012, 2:06 PM
What happens pretty often is a waste hauler will contact everyone in a neighborhood with a good deal to switch haulers. A number of years ago my current hauler came through and signed up almost everyone because they offered a lower rate. A couple of neighbors switched to another hauler a year or two ago when they came around with lower rates. I called my current hauler and they matched the rate.

I know a lot of folks who will switch haulers if a lower price is offered, but they refuse to let their current hauler match the new rate. They figure the current hauler should offer competitive rates without price matching if they want to keep them as a customer.

Darcy Forman
12-04-2012, 12:05 AM
I used WM here in Canada when we built our house. Never had much choice here either for that matter. Anyway signed a three year contract. The price went up every month we had the dumpster. It started out at thirty dollars a month with one pick up a month. Lucky if we did get a pick up every month. At the end of three years they were charging eighty dollars a month. At the end of three years I told them to pick up their dumpster and wouldn't renew. They picked it up and send me a removal bill for one hundred fifty dollars. I told them to go F themselves. I also payed a hundred dollar placement fee when they first brought the dumpster. They also sent two more bills for two additional months after the dumpster was removed. Not paying that either. I know haul my own once per month to the transfer station which is twelve Kms from my house. It takes me half hour round trip and may cost me five bucks in gas. Also no more garbage man drama. The local guys here had more drama than a whole house full of trophy wives. They always complained the dumpster was in the wrong place and my drive way had a curve in it. I kid you not the trucker could back up in the driveway because it has a curve in it. I will never use them again.

Jim Becker
12-08-2012, 10:23 PM
What Steve mentions is correct for most of this geography...trash pickup is the individual property owner's responsibility and there are generally multiple competitors for that business. There are no "municipal services" for the same. We're on our third trash company since moving here in 1999. The first was great until they were acquired by an out-of-area firm and customer service went into the toilet. AWS has been good, but we'd welcome a lower cost alternative if they gave good service. Outside of being actually in some of the towns and some developments, sewer (septic) and water are also on-property in a large number of cases. On our property, the only "public utility" from the street is gas, outside of electric and communications.

@Steve, I'm on Rt 413 not far from Upper Mountain...literally around the corner from you. We've probably passed each other innumerable times on the road and didn't know. We tend to frequently head over to Forest Grove Road via Upper Mountain and then catch the tail end of Swamp Road to get out to either 263 south or to head over Edison Furlong to get to 611 south.

Brian Elfert
12-08-2012, 11:09 PM
I don't think any garbage hauler in our area picks up trash manually these days. They all have the arms that automatically dump the trash cans. I'm sure it saves on labor and worker's comp claims.

I'm pretty sure there is a city ordinance requiring each residence to hire a waste hauler. I'm not sure how the city would know if someone didn't hire one. I don't know if the local transfer station would even just a few bags of garbage if I wanted to go that route.

Steve Wurster
12-09-2012, 7:59 PM
@Steve, I'm on Rt 413 not far from Upper Mountain...literally around the corner from you. We've probably passed each other innumerable times on the road and didn't know. We tend to frequently head over to Forest Grove Road via Upper Mountain and then catch the tail end of Swamp Road to get out to either 263 south or to head over Edison Furlong to get to 611 south.

Ah, so you're over by that, well, whatever that thing is over by the railroad tracks. I think it says lumber, but I'm not going in there; not sure I'll ever make it out!

Jim Becker
12-09-2012, 9:41 PM
Ah, so you're over by that, well, whatever that thing is over by the railroad tracks. I think it says lumber, but I'm not going in there; not sure I'll ever make it out!
Definitely nearby that area. And yes, that is Buckingham Lumber; Ray sells hardware and other things. I believe he inherited the property from his grandfather years ago. Interesting fellow...

Steve knight
12-09-2012, 10:12 PM
They bought my trash company when the owner wanted to retire. I was paying 15.00 a month to rent a dumsper and 40.00 a dump as needed for a 2 yard dumpster. well when WM came on the scene they gave me 15.00 a dump and no monthly fee. So that was a huge savings but the drivers have issues. they loose locks and destroy the lock bars. this is the second one they bent to hell
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/posting/0AF80D7D.jpg