Facing an ongoing shortage of garbage truck drivers, the Bradenton City Council voted to approve a new incentive program aimed at boosting employee retention. The city’s Public Works Department has struggled for months to keep truck drivers on staff. It’s an industry-wide problem, according to department leaders, who have pointed to private companies that are swiping their staff with the promise of much better pay.
“I’m sure you’ve all received the calls, probably incessantly, about trash pickup services, yard waste, recycle and pretty much anything that goes into a dumpster. It’s a terrible situation,” City Administrator Rob Perry said in a presentation to the board. “It’s not just Bradenton. It’s statewide and national.”
Bradenton’s shortage of drivers has impacted the city’s collection schedule. City officials recently announced that they no longer have the capacity required to pick up yard waste and recycling every week, temporarily switching to a system that alternates between the pickups every week. Regular trash pickup has been prioritized and unaffected by the driver shortage.