Mayor Strange sat down with Rubicon just before he left office to talk about the city he loves, and his long legacy, for Street Smart.<\/p>\n Mayor Strange:<\/strong>\u00a0Our partnerships. Collaboration is like currency in Montgomery and the River Region. Whether it\u2019s working with regional utilities, businesses and job creators, our defense community at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base and the 187th Fighter Wing at Dannelly Field (now home to the F35!), or educators, we strive to perpetuate progress in Montgomery by forging strong partnerships. These partners each bring unique assets to the table, all of which position us as a leader in the smart city space. Alabama Power\u2019s investment in fiber, the launch of the Montgomery Internet Exchange, and the foresight to tap sustainable solution providers like Rubicon all converge to create a climate for success in Montgomery\u2019s high-tech revolution.<\/p>\n Mayor Strange:<\/strong>\u00a0We have. Alongside partnering with Rubicon to achieve this objective, we recently relaunched advanced recycling in Montgomery. RePower South will now manage the operations of the Montgomery Recycling and Recovery Facility. This state-of-the-art facility not only extends the life of our landfill by diverting waste, but it ensures 100 percent participation among residents in the recycling program. At the dawn of my administration, several cabinet members and I visited the landfill only to see a sea of garbage bags. We quickly realized the old way wasn\u2019t working, like many cities are only now finding out. Thanks to our affinity for problem solving through innovation, we bet big on a new technology that would sort, recycle, and transform waste into renewable energy. Absolutely nothing is required from our residents, and the City ultimately saves precious resources while saving the environment. Rubicon and its solutions now factor largely into our overall sustainability strategy by helping Sanitation eliminate waste.<\/p>\n Mayor Strange:<\/strong>\u00a0Being a smart city means being a sustainable city, whether that entails implementing sustainable operations to better serve our taxpayers and preserve resources, or finding ways to lower emissions and waste. Smart, sustainable policies and initiatives have helped Montgomery leverage technology and efficiency to attract new development opportunities and enhance our overall quality of life.<\/p>\n Mayor Strange:<\/strong>\u00a0Success breeds success, and successful outcomes come from a successful foundation. A willingness to listen to new ideas, to reevaluate existing operations, and to redefine the future are vital steps in crafting the most effective public-private partnerships to drive positive change. When initially approached by Rubicon, the willingness of our City Services team, as well as Rubicon\u2019s leadership, to pilot a program to the mutual benefit of both parties resulted in huge gains. It also unleashed a new era of co-innovation in our city, and we continue making strides in our smart city strategy with partners in our region and across the nation. Of course, when something doesn\u2019t produce the desired results, then you only fail forward and move on with more experience; but we find you succeed much more often than fail as long as you remain open to continuously improving an organization through new partnerships and ideas.<\/p>\n Mayor Strange:<\/strong>\u00a0We saw a shift in the recycling industry a few years ago and worked to find an operator of our advanced recycling facility who would not only weather the storm, but would thrive in the industry\u2019s new environment. Our recycling program turns municipal waste into renewable energy for regional buyers. In doing so, we are seeing success at every level.<\/p>\n Mayor Strange:<\/strong>\u00a0Rubicon\u2019s mission to end waste makes sense while also making cents. Preserving resources and extending the life of our landfill is an easy decision, and we take every step necessary to achieve both goals. Rubicon\u2019s innovative solutions and dedication to end waste, coupled with the success of our recycling and recovery facility, have led to substantial savings. Not only that, we feel our community is only beginning to see the growth in quality of life and economic opportunity that comes with a renewed focus on sustainability and resilience.<\/p>\n Mayor Strange:<\/strong>\u00a0Incorporating Rubicon\u2019s technology into the Sanitation process has helped to drastically streamline our operations. The technology has fine-tuned our processes to deliver a more efficient and effective fleet. We have found that Rubicon\u2019s technology empowers our hard working staff members through its ease of use, increased accountability, and ability to cut time-wasting minutia from the daily routine. With these new innovative systems, our team can easily optimize routes, keep up with vehicle maintenance, and better predict issues along the way. Furthermore, our investment in Rubicon\u2019s technology will lead to huge taxpayer savings in equipment and maintenance costs. It\u2019s like treating a cold before it becomes pneumonia: the ability to closely track our trucks\u2019 daily wear and tear and unscheduled maintenance needs prevents the sticker shock that comes with buying a new truck or piece of equipment due to catastrophic and unplanned failure.<\/p>\n Mayor Strange:<\/strong>\u00a0We think so. The public values Montgomery\u2019s ascent to being a leader in the smart city movement. Rubicon\u2019s partnership has played a huge role in this success. We look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come as we continue to co-innovate and build a blueprint for what a truly sustainable and smart city can do.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/routeware.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/montgomery-logo-150x150.png\"){kind=logo}
Todd Strange was the 56th Mayor of the\u00a0City of Montgomery, Alabama<\/a>. Serving in the role between 2009-2019, in July of this year under Mayor Strange the City of Montgomery selected Rubicon to\u00a0formally implement a smart city solution<\/a>\u00a0to help improve residential and commercial waste and recycling services for its more than 200,000 citizens.<\/p>\nWhat do you feel is the most unique quality of your city? In short, what makes the City of Montgomery great?<\/h3>\n
Has your city set specific sustainability and circular economy goals?<\/h3>\n
How do you view the relationship between the smart city and sustainability movements?<\/h3>\n
How do you craft effective public-private partnerships to drive positive change in your city?<\/h3>\n
Has the ban on importing recyclable materials to multiple Southeast Asian countries impacted recycling programs in your city?<\/h3>\n
How does Rubicon\u2019s mission to end waste match-up to\u00a0your city\u2019s vision?<\/h3>\n
How has using Rubicon\u2019s technology in your fleet of waste vehicles helped your city?<\/h3>\n
Has public perception of waste and recycling services changed in your city, thanks in part to your use of Rubicon\u2019s technology?<\/h3>\n