GPS-Trash trucks hit roads in Mount Pleasant

Trash collection in Mount Pleasant has gone high-tech. GPS’s, or global positioning systems, have been installed on board each of the Town’s garbage trucks.
A move that Deputy Town Administrator, Eric Demoura, says will make the Town more efficient.
“Prior to this our trash removal crews would have to follow our garbage removal crews. Going up and down every street, every road, and every alley in Mount Pleasant to search for trash. And this takes that away,“ explains Demoura.
The GPS allows garbage truck drivers to mark areas of trash (such as leaves, debris, appliances, and furniture). At the end of the daily garbage collection route, the information is uploaded into a system that will create a list and a map of areas that need to be picked up. The following day, trash trucks will be sent only to areas that need cleaning, cutting out unnecessary trips and in the end saving money. The Town of Mount Pleasant estimates that by eliminating unnecessary routes the Town will save over $160,000 this year. A cut that officials hope will keep them from eliminating jobs during these tough economic times.
“$160,000 dollars and that equates to several public safety positions and their benefits,“ says Demoura.
The other beneficial side is the positive impact on the environment. “You don’t have these big trucks, these big carbon emitters running around town,“ explained Demoura.
Similar systems have been implemented in Clemson and Gaffney, South Carolina. The City of Charleston is currently exploring whether this system would be beneficial to them.