ALBUQUERQUE HAS UPDATED ITS TRASH COLLECTION AND GRAFFITI REMOVAL TRUCKS WITH BETTER TECHNOLOGY. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR JOHN SOLADAY SAYS THEY’RE NOW USING SMART TRUCKS THAT REPLACE THE OLD GPS SYSTEMS WITH CELLULAR BASED SYSTEMS.
HE SAYS THE TRUCKS ARE NOW EQUIPPED WITH SMALL COMPUTERS AND OUTFITTED WITH ABOUT FOUR CAMERAS TO LET DRIVERS KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON OUTSIDE AT EACH PICKUP SITE. THAT INCLUDES BEING ABLE TO SEE WHEN THERE’S BEEN A PROBLEM WITH A PARTICULAR PICK-UP SITE, LIKE GARBAGE FALLING ONTO THE STREET.
SOLADAY SAYS THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT MAKES 900 TO A THOUSAND COLLECTIONS A DAY … OR 35-THOUSAND HOMES A DAY FOR BOTH RECYCLING AND TRASH … PROVIDING 70-THOUSAND CHANCES FOR TROUBLE. THE SMART TRUCKS COST ABOUT 2 MILLION DOLLARS.
