Houston Rolls Out New Recycling Trucks

Have you seen the new trucks in your neighborhood yet? Nine brand-new recycling trucks are hitting Houston streets in an effort to finally get collection service back on schedule.

The trucks, lined up at the city’s northeast service center, are so new they don’t even have paint on them yet. Mayor John Whitmire greeted solid waste crews as they head out on their first routes, calling this rollout a critical first step toward fixing the city’s recycling problems. “We have an opportunity to buy 31 trucks out of New Mexico. Eleven can be here in two days after a signed purchase order. So we’re moving forward on the purchase of the trucks,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said.

For months people were upset because of , missed pickups and weeks-long delays have left residents frustrated. City leaders admit the fleet had become unreliable, with too many trucks breaking down and not enough available to cover routes. On Wednesday, the Houston City Council approved more trucks for the department. City council approved roughly $12.4 million for the purchase. This comes at a time when Solid Waste Management acknowledged delays with recycling pickup.

The addition of nine trucks is expected to ease the backlog, but Mayor Whitmire says more will be needed to create lasting improvements. He’s proposing a recycling fee, something most major U.S. cities already have, to provide dedicated funding. The mayor argues it would ensure the city can maintain its fleet, avoid service interruptions, and keep Houston on par with other large cities.

For now,The rollout is a step in the right direction, giving employees much-needed equipment to better serve Houston neighborhoods.