How Enhanced Geospatial Data Profits Waste Management Companies

To contend with national and regional waste management companies, many independent haulers have begun to invest in innovative solutions to enhance their fleets. However, one of the best ways a company can improve its operations and lower costs is by using precise location data to mark collection sites.

Most garbage truck drivers are currently equipped with routing software that directs them to the general area of a scheduled pickup site, but not to the actual can, dumpster, or waste container.

To solve this problem, companies can use location software that allows them to create data points to mark the exact location of cans, bins, and collections sites so that drivers receive GPS navigation to within 10ft. of scheduled pickup sites. A waste management company that provides drivers with this data benefits from increased profitability, happier drivers, and improved driver safety.

Problems caused by lack of navigation to waste pickup sites

Normal GPS navigates drivers to addresses — not to individual trash cans, bins, or collection sites. Drivers are then left to search for waste containers alongside busy streets, around large industrial buildings, throughout apartment complexes, and other challenging locations where it’s difficult to turn around or make simple corrections due to the vehicle’s large, clunky size.

Veteran drivers who frequently run the same route and know the exact location of each bin, dumpster, and can by heart may not find this as problematic as new drivers who have yet to memorize waste pickup locations and rely completely on GPS to guide them. However, as it’s common for the waste industry to have a high churn rate among employees, lack of data points detailing the precise location of waste containers creates many inefficiencies that impact a company’s performance and profitability.

Common issues the industry faces due to GPS navigating to addresses and not to individual waste containers include:

• Confused drivers
• Decreased driver safety
• Slower route times
• High churn rate
• Distracted drivers
• Missed bins or containers
• Reruns to collect missed bins
• Increased cost per route when reruns occur
• Lower customer satisfaction
• Increased route time variation based on driver experience
• Wider collection windows

Furthermore, many waste companies do not have a contract for a given geographic area and pick up waste across widespread areas. These companies often have clients in rural areas where even the private roads are not mapped by GPS.

Benefits of creating data points to mark specific locations

Waste management companies have the option to supply drivers with innovative software that allows them to create data points to mark the exact location of bins, dumpsters, and other waste containers. Benefits from precise data creation include increased profits, driver retention, and driver safety.

Drivers equipped with clear-cut navigation don’t waste time searching for specific areas within large, complex areas. In turn, this reduces wear and tear on waste collection vehicles and the amount of gas used to complete a day’s route.

Additionally, new drivers with access to precise navigational assistance that directs them to each bin, dumpster, and container are able to complete routes in a time frame consistent with that of experienced drivers. Waste management companies that provide customers with narrow and reliable collection time frames earn and retain more customers with competitive service. Clear directions straight to each waste container also decreases the amount of time and money it takes a company to train new or temporary drivers.

2. Driver retention.

Driver churn and shortage is a big issue in the waste hauling and recycling industry. It’s difficult to attract and keep dependable workers. When drivers get turned around in bulky collection vehicles or miss containers altogether, they develop work-related frustration and are more likely to quit or look for different work.

Alternatively, when drivers are equipped with turn-by-turn directions to each can, bin, and dumpster scheduled for pickup, they have the route knowledge of experienced drivers at their fingertips. Drivers feel supported by the waste management company and better able to cope with the daily demands of collection and perform well at work when they know exactly where each pickup is located.

3. Driver safety.

Waste collection trucks weigh more than the US Department of Transportation’s large truck standard of 10,000-pound gross vehicle weight and are among some of the most dangerous heavy trucks to drive. Routes driven without the right knowledge and instructions run a higher risk of accidents, especially with temporary or inexperienced drivers.

Creating pinpoint data to mark the location of each waste container found on a driver’s route increases driver safety by taking drivers to within a few feet of collection sites. Drivers can then focus more on the road, traffic conditions, and safety precautions, instead of searching around for dump sites in heavy, difficult-to-maneuver vehicles.

How to create data points for waste containers

Beans Route, a complete end-to-end business management solution, works with waste management companies to create location markers for each bin, can, or waste container they collect. The software’s app allows drivers to drop pins throughout their route to mark containers and save them for future reference. These data markers are visible to the rest of the team as well.

Beyond the ability to drop pins to mark exact locations of waste containers, Beans Route provides waste management companies with a complete, end-to-end business management solution that improves operations, profitability, driver safety, and fleet management. Some of its features include:

• AI-powered route planning and dispatch
• Customer notifications and driver tracking
• Timesheets and scheduling
• Fully integrated electronic logging device (ELD) solution
• Clock in/clock out
• Route progress in dispatcher
• Device agnostic
• Ability to drop pins and draw maps
• 3-minute driver training
• 24/7 US-based support
• No contracts

To learn more about Beans Route or to see a demo, contact support@beansroute.ai or visit www.beansroute.ai.