What does a trash collector do?

Updated January 8, 2025

6 min read

Also known as trash collectors, garbage collectors work for a private waste management firm or the municipal government. Trash collectors collect and remove recyclable and waste materials for processing. Typically, they work in pairs to pick up and remove recyclable goods, yard debris, or waste from residential, commercial business centers, public parks, and residential neighborhoods. Typically, they operate waste collection vehicles following the routes, gathering refuse, then reporting to their supervisors. To become successful in this job, you have to get stamina and physical strength.

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Trash collector responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real trash collector resumes:

Operate a tandem axle garbage truck in a city setting collection household waste and recycle.
Operate automated or semi-automate hoisting devices.
Conduct pre and post trip inspections.
Vacuum & clean carpeted areas as well as offices, restrooms and stock areas.
Perform pre trips on the truck to make sure everything are in good mechanical order.
Ensure cleanliness of break rooms and restrooms, as well as restock the supplies and the food.
Used pitch forks, shovels and similar hand tools to pick up general refuse and trash from curbside and other areas.
Haul carbodies, copper, aluminum, and other different metals that weigh anywhere from 40 thousand to 110 thousand pounds.
Maintain machinery for daily USDA inspection
Operate automated or semi hoisting devices-inspect trucks prior to beginning routes-operate equipment that compresses collect refuse
Operate heavy machinery suck as forklifts, drive scrubbers, sweepers, and tuggers.
Design and implement evaluation, performance testing; FDA (21CFR) material acceptance procedures.
Collect Comcast products and materials from various clients in the Chicago land area.
Return products to Comcast corporate locations

Trash collector skills and personality traits

We calculated that 82% of Trash Collectors are proficient in Apartment Community, Trash Compactor, and Trash Truck. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Listening skills, and Mechanical skills.

We break down the percentage of Trash Collectors that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Apartment Community, 82%
Trash and recycling items with assigned apartment community.
Trash Compactor, 15%
Clean up trash at apartment complexes and transport them to a trash compactor.
Trash Truck, 1%
Picked up trash and operated the trash press on the back of the trash truck.
CDL, 1%
Obtained Class B CDL with air brakes.
Dump Contents, 0%
Operate automated or semi-automated hoisting devices that raise refuse bins and dump contents into openings in truck bodies.
Safety Procedures, 0%
Checked all load-related documentation to ensure that it is complete and accurate Followed appropriate safety procedures for transporting dangerous goods.

Most trash collectors use their skills in "apartment community," "trash compactor," and "trash truck" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential trash collector responsibilities here:

Customer-service skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a trash collector to have is customer-service skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "hand laborers and material movers who work with the public, such as grocery baggers or carwash attendants, must be pleasant and courteous to customers." Trash collectors often use customer-service skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "assisted in delivery of various containers to all customers performed unloading and cleaning of all garbage trucks. "

Listening skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling trash collector duties is listening skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "hand laborers and material movers follow instructions that a supervisor gives them." According to a trash collector resume, here's how trash collectors can utilize listening skills in their job responsibilities: "communicated with dispatchers concerning delays, unsafe sites, accidents, equipment breakdowns, or other maintenance problems. "

Most common trash collector skills

The three companies that hire the most trash collectors are:

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Compare different trash collectors

Trash collector vs. Commercial front load driver

We looked at the average trash collector salary and compared it with the wages of a commercial front load driver. Generally speaking, commercial front load drivers are paid $8,872 higher than trash collectors per year.Even though trash collectors and commercial front load drivers are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require hoisting, maintenance problems, and hoisting devices in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, trash collector responsibilities require skills like "apartment community," "trash compactor," "trash truck," and "cdl." Meanwhile a typical commercial front load driver has skills in areas such as "post-trip inspections," "safety policies," "dot," and "federal laws." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

The education levels that commercial front load drivers earn slightly differ from trash collectors. In particular, commercial front load drivers are 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a trash collector. Additionally, they're 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Trash collector vs. Residential recycle driver

A career as a residential recycle driver brings a higher average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a trash collector. In fact, residential recycle drivers salary is $8,836 higher than the salary of trash collectors per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both trash collectors and residential recycle drivers have skills such as "safety procedures," "hoisting," and "clean truck. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real trash collector resumes. While trash collector responsibilities can utilize skills like "apartment community," "trash compactor," "trash truck," and "cdl," residential recycle drivers use skills like "pre," "mechanical problems," "safety standards," and "equipment checks."

In general, residential recycle drivers achieve similar levels of education than trash collectors. They're 0.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Trash collector vs. Front loader residential driver

On average scale, front loader residential drivers bring in higher salaries than trash collectors. In fact, they earn a $3,744 higher salary per year.trash collectors and front loader residential drivers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "cdl," "air brakes," and "dismount," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a trash collector is likely to be skilled in "apartment community," "trash compactor," "trash truck," and "dump contents," while a typical front loader residential driver is skilled in "post-trip inspections," "dot," "safety hazards," and "inspection reports."

Front loader residential drivers typically earn similar educational levels compared to trash collectors. Specifically, they're 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Trash collector vs. Disposal worker

Disposal workers average a higher salary than the annual salary of trash collectors. The difference is about $1,756 per year.While their salaries may vary, trash collectors and disposal workers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "safety procedures," "dismount," and "disposal site. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A trash collector uses "apartment community," "trash compactor," "trash truck," and "cdl." Disposal workers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "hazardous materials," "waste materials," "vac," and "grounds clean-up. "The average resume of disposal workers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to trash collectors. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 0.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.3%.

Types of trash collector

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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