How To Become A Garbage Truck Helper: What It Is and Career Path

What is a garbage truck helper and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The average garbage truck helper salary is $32,282. The most common degree is a high school diploma degree with an business major. It usually takes 6-12 months of experience to become a garbage truck helper. Garbage truck helpers with a Commercial Driver License (CDL) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 358,300 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreGarbage Truck HelperUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,282

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.2

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 2.00%

Asian 2.65%

Black or African American 12.92%

Hispanic or Latino 18.61%

Unknown 3.49%

White 60.34%

Gender

female 7.10%

male 92.90%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.8

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a garbage truck helper

Explore garbage truck helper education requirements

Most common garbage truck helper degrees

High School Diploma

64.0 %

Diploma

15.9 %

Associate

9.5 %

Start to develop specific garbage truck helper skills

Skills	Percentages
GPS	24.53%
Property Damage	14.83%
Hoisting	12.86%
Customer Service	11.27%
Delivery Truck	8.04%

Complete relevant garbage truck helper training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New garbage truck helpers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a garbage truck helper based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real garbage truck helper resumes.

Research garbage truck helper duties and responsibilities

Maintain route for schedule residential and commercial waste and recycle.
Drive bobtail- box truck, delivery van, pickup truck to pick up and deliver stock.
Operate automate or semi-automate hoisting devices that raise refusebins and dump contents into openings in truck bodies.
Deliver and pickup loads of steel and parts that are fabricated, machine, and paint or powder coat.

Prepare your garbage truck helper resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your garbage truck helper resume.

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Choose from 10+ customizable garbage truck helper resume templates

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