Haulers everywhere have long been accustomed to meeting specific requirements when bidding on municipal contracts. But in 2019 the landscape shifted dramatically for haulers competing for work from the City of New York Department of Sanitation (DSNY). At that time, Local Law 199 (LL 199) established Commercial Waste Zones (CWZ) throughout New York and sent many haulers on the hunt for new technologies to meet new demands in the battle for a slice of the Big Apple’s commercial waste business.
The CWZ program divides the city into 20 zones, each served by up to three carters selected through a competitive bidding process. The City also awards five citywide contracts for containerized waste collection and compactors. For haulers looking to compete for DSNY contracts, the program means understanding the requirements and potentially making updates to their existing operations in order to compete.
Enter smart truck technology: The program includes hauler requirements wrapped around global positioning systems (GPS), vehicle cameras for safety, routing capabilities, and more. Without truck technology that supports the goals of the program, haulers can’t bid.
Why all the tech? The goals of the CWZ are broad and ambitious. DSNY aims to make commercial waste collection safer and more efficient while advancing the City’s zero-waste goals and the Green New Deal. Better service and lower costs to businesses are part of it, too, along with increased recycling, reduced truck traffic and pollution, safer conditions for collection workers and enhanced safety for the public.
To help haulers seeking to become more competitive in response to CWZ technology requirements, DSNY has created a database of potential subcontractors reviewed and vetted by the City. Routeware has undergone the review process and is now featured as a potential subcontractor on DSNY’s website.
Routeware helps smart municipalities and haulers automate their operations, become more efficient and safe, improve customer service, and meet environmental goals. Our latest offering, Routeware One, represents the complete suite of cloud-based software, solutions and services for municipalities and private haulers.
New York haulers already using Routeware include Gaeta Green Environmental Services. With Routeware, Gaeta Green improved routes with system data, and decreased miles driven and associated emissions. The company also saw increased productivity, closed gaps in its truck safety program with cameras providing 360° around vehicles, and improved customer communication with service verification.
“Routeware has definitely helped with efficiency. We analyze our routes using the breadcrumbs feature, which helps us cut down on emissions to fulfill our environmental mission,” said Chief Operations Officer Rachel Lattanzio. “The cameras help with safety. If there is an incident or accident, the trucks are equipped at all angles.”
As more cities take a look at the impact of waste collection on their communities and the broader environment, requirements like those in New York will only become more common in the future. To remain competitive, leading haulers are upgrading their smart truck technology today.
Learn more. Is it time to think about updating your fleet technology to meet new demands and remain competitive? Let’s talk!
