A thousand cans and counting: On the Clock with the Sanitation Department

Yahoo

2 days ago

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — The unsung heroes who keep the city looking clean and pretty: sanitation crews hit thousands of homes each day to maintain our streets.
In this On the Clock, we're making the rounds with the Wichita Falls Sanitation Department with the world's most difficult claw machine, and it's going to be a bumpy ride.
'One can at a time. One street at a time,' Sanitation Equipment Operator James Linan said.
We got to the Sanitation Department at 9 a.m., ready for a route around Weeks Park. And after I admired the bells and whistles of the nearly 30-ton trash truck, James was ready to show me the ropes.
'We're about 30 minutes into the route right now, but for these guys, that's nothing,' I said. 'On this route specifically, there are 1,222 that have to be picked up, and they're done when the route's done.'
And that's no joke. James tells me he's spent upwards of nine hours making the rounds, not made easier by inevitable challenges.
'Sometimes we break down, the trucks break down, [which] kind of delays what we're doing,' James said. 'Weather, sometimes when it rains. Rain's kind of difficult because it messes with the mirrors and whatnot. So it slows you down.'
And making sure the touchy controls don't accidentally bust through a window.
'Really tight edges and tight curves into the alleyways,' I said. 'There's still so much precision that goes into it. I would've hit everything in my path.'
Thankfully, I wasn't allowed to test my theory, but James did let me take a whack at emptying the can into the truck.
It was scary for probably everybody watching me painstakingly pick up that can, but for this pro, he really enjoys the routine and meeting neighbors.
'We drive, and it's a nice and peaceful little break,' James said. 'See people that wave, whatever, real kind people and whatnot, and people that give you drinks. Kind of speak with them a little bit once in a while.'
And after dipping my toes into the essential cleanup that goes on behind the scenes, maybe I do have what it takes to be a sanitation champion.
'Based on my performance today, would you hire me?' I asked.
'Yes. You did better than me on my first time,' he said. 'I was knocking over garbage cans and whatever, putting them down wobbly. But, yeah, they're still nice and smooth.'
The next On the Clock will air June 13 at noon and 6 p.m.
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