Trash collecting gets streamlined
New system uses GPS trackers to determine which houses have refuse, which don't
The collection of garbage and yard waste is a basic function of local government, but it seems the process can be substantially improved with Global Positioning System satellites and handheld computers.
It sounds expensive, but adding some high-tech could save Mount Pleasant and other communities a pile of cash.
Mount Pleasant is about to become the largest municipality in South Carolina to sign on with Pinpoint GeoTech, a startup company that has developed a way to cut waste out of trash-collection routes.
The town, which has been struggling under a budget crunch, expects to save $125,000 to $150,000 in yearly fuel costs by using the new system, which will cost about $60,000, officials said.
Here's how it works: Instead of having trash crews drive past every house in town looking for yard waste and discarded appliances to collect, the garbage crews that separately collect household waste will use Pinpoint systems in their trucks to identify which addresses have trash waiting to be collected.
Every time there's an address with trash to collect, the push of a button records and maps that address.
Later, the trash crews are given a planned route to the addresses where trash needs to be picked up. The result is time saved, fuel saved and less vehicle wear-and-tear, said Town Administrator Mac Burdette.
"It's almost too good to be true," Burdette said. "It's so simple, you're almost embarrassed you didn't think of it yourself."
The public works department in Clemson came up with the idea, and the system that makes it work was developed by OA Technology Group, and then spun off into its own company, PinPoint GeoTech.
The South Carolina Research Authority provided the company with $200,000 in grants and loans, and business is booming.
"If you can put something in this year's budget that pays for itself in this year's budget, why wouldn't you do that?" said Jim Oswald, a founder of the company. "In some cities, with the rising costs of fuel, you only have limited options, and one of them is raising taxes to pay for the fuel."
Burdette said Mount Pleasant's saving from the Pinpoint GeoTech system is roughly the equivalent of a half-mil of property tax revenue (which would be a tax of 50 cents on every $1,000 of assessed property value in the town).
"We're all trying to avoid tax increases," he said. "Town Council has given me the authority to cut 40 positions over the next two years."
If there's a catch to the new trash collection system, it is this: Town residents will have to put out their trash on garbage collection days, as they do now, but then wait until the following day to have the trash collected.
Trash would sit on the curb for part of two days so that garbage crews could record the locations on the first day, and collection crews could come and get it the following day.
"We understand that there will probably be some subdivisions with rules that won't be consistent with that," Burdette said. "The fact is, we're in a crisis situation."
He said the town will launch a public information campaign in August before switching to the new collection system in September.
Mount Pleasant is the seventh municipality in South Carolina to use the system, but the only one in Charleston, Berkeley or Dorchester counties.
Charleston installed GPS devices in its public service fleet in 2003, but the city's system is designed for route planning and fleet tracking.
"We have GPS to monitor the location of the trucks," said Public Service Department Director Laura Cabiness. "We also have a system that we purchased several years ago called Routesmart, which works with our geographic information system to plan efficient routes."
Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
This article has 8 comment(s)
Posted by Neponset on July 20, 2008 at 7:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Not clear, to me, who gives the signal that there is stuff for pickup.
Anyway, at least in my neighborhood, everyone has house hold trash (ie garbage) and the full route will be required. May help with yard and appliance pickup.
Posted by jammer on July 20, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
waste more money in the name of technology, take a pencil and check off who has trash on the curb as you go by... it's a LOT cheaper
I can see it now, millions of dollars later and the garbage trucks can't run because the gps's are down just like what happens with EMS units as if they can't turn the key and go do what they are supposed too because the "new gadget" that they never needed before doesn't work
the guys that run these routes everyday don't need a GPS to tell them where they're at and a simple check list with a pencil will save the counties the millions they are trying to waste now
"a pencil" so easy you should be embarrassed you didn't think of it yourself...
Posted by zoomru on July 20, 2008 at 6 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Commentors..Jammer and Neponset, This article must be printed this way to torque me OFF!! DAVID SLADE ...YOU DON'T Fool ME!! Get busy! Read this article to yourself and THINK!!!
Neponset is right on about yard and appliance pickup...DONT TELL ME that we are now going to have 2 separate routes?? MORE FUEL BEING BURNED?? A pencil or cell phone or GPS with punchable plots to be downloaded into google EARTH would do just as good ...AND its FREE.
David "U SLAY ME" SLADE...HAVE YOU EVER BEEN OUT ON A BOAT WITH A SIMPLE GPS WITH INPUTS? I HAVE A HANDHELD FOR 300 BUCKS THAT WILL DO THE JOB!
I smell a 60K payment from a pot of money because its THERE to be spent or 60K to a Marine West in exchange for "Some Goodies".....DAVID get off the PORCH. Do I need to DEMOTE you like Dave Munday??
David ..did to ask Mac Burdette about the gas plasma machines at www.startech.net ??? Heavens NO. ..Lets not do anything that actually benefits US all!!!
Posted by oatech on July 20, 2008 at 6:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear Skeptics, I recommend you go to our website and watch the video to see how this thing actually works. From some of your comments it appears that you do not understand how simple, affordable, and obvious the solution is. It has been proven to work in 5 SC cities for over 7 months now and each city has proven through actual daily use that the return on investment is months rather than years. It has been so effective that the SC Research Authority and 2 invetment groups have mad major commitments to its future. Yes, I am one of the founders. Feel free to contact us for more information.
Posted by oatech on July 20, 2008 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And one other thing, this technology is receiving accolades across the country and into Canada and is currently responsible for creating dozens of much needed jobs in this state. Perhaps that is another return on the investment to consider.
Posted by Neponset on July 20, 2008 at 7:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OK, I reread the article and the truck for household trash (ie garbage) provides the input. This would save sending the appliance truck around the full route. Not that many appliances and a lot of areas could be skipped. Don't think it will help for the yard trash truck, as there seems to always be a few piles on each street.
Posted by jammer on July 20, 2008 at 10:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
oatech your situated to make a fortune off of what could be and is already done by pencil and paper
people call in now to have things picked up, a truck doesn't run all through a ghost route until it finds trash here... those guys keep a log of who needs what picked up and who has stuff on the curb
this isn't anything but a giant unnecessary expense for an area already out of money
the only thing you've done is make some bubba believe you have something that'll make him look good, not that it is good
with the expense of setup, IT ongoing support after wards, the many software updates I'm sure you will tell them they "have" to have as they become "available", shop installation expenses and repairs, classes to show people how to work them, loss of productivity time/money as people screw them up trying to learn, etc etc etc...
it'll just be one giant waste of money when it's all over, you can only make this look good to those who don't know better
pc's, gps's, bagphones all stopped being cutting edge technology a cpl decades ago and all they've done is aid big brother while increasing overhead 1000 fold...
it makes it easy for the boss to sit at his desk and see what's going on without ever having to get up
the millions we spend to create lazy bosses, because that is the only true advantage
a clip board and a pencil will do much more at very little cost, but hey go ahead and fool our people into doing something totally ignorant and cost absorbent for yrs to come
Posted by jammer on July 21, 2008 at 4 p.m. (Suggest removal)
we have Surburban, if we need trash or yard pickup we have to call it in a few days ahead and they schedule it... so simple you wish you thought of it yourself
what a waste, I hope these city/county admins don't fall for this crap... as a matter of a fact I think everyone who's tired of paying high taxes should call their city/county and suggest that they DO NOT fall for this expensive bottomless trap and suggest using PAPER and PENCIL instead
I know some heads in a cpl of the recycle dept's, I think I'll give them a call