A Day in the Life of Columbus Solid Waste Crews

For solid waste crews, the day starts before sunrise.

Drivers arrive early to complete pre-trip inspections, checking equipment and walking around the truck to make sure everything is safe before heading into neighborhoods across the city. At the same time, supervisors review call-offs, assign routes, and prepare for the day’s operations.

In Columbus, Ohio, these daily operations are supported by technology from Routeware. The system connects drivers, vehicles, and supervisors throughout the workday. With in-cab tablets, real-time route visibility, and digital service tracking, crews have the information they need to stay on schedule and work more efficiently.

Drivers use the system to navigate routes, monitor progress, and complete safety checks. Supervisors can see what is happening in the field in real time and adjust routes when needed, without printing maps, making copies, or driving across the city to deliver updates.

For the teams in Columbus, the shift from paper routes to connected technology has changed the rhythm of the workday. Drivers can see what is completed and what is still ahead. Supervisors can send help to a route in seconds instead of hours. At the end of the day, crews return knowing the work was done safely and the routes were completed the right way.

This video follows drivers and supervisors through a typical day, letting them tell the story in their own words. It is a practical look at how solid waste operations run when crews, routes, and technology are fully connected.

Watch the full video above to see how Columbus runs its solid waste operation with Routeware.