Benton Township officials are proudly pointing at the newest addition to their ‘rolling stock’– the township’s newest investment in its waste collection program: A fully automated, dual-drive garbage truck. Supervisor Cathy Yates spotlighted the new truck at the conclusion of a township board meeting this week.
The vehicle, which cost $377,000, joins a growing fleet that now includes six trucks. Township Public Works Supervisor Andrew Jordan said the purchase was necessary to meet the demands of a community that has steadily expanded its trash pickup program.
“This is a purpose-built route truck designed to dump a lot of carts. It’s built for the work we do every day,” Jordan said.
Jordan, who has worked for the township for 16 years, remembers when the department looked very different.
“I remember when the township only had two garbage trucks,” he said. “Residents didn’t get garbage bins until 2017. People would just put their trash out in bags or in any can they could find. Sometimes it was an old Best Way or Reliable can they had kept.”
According to Jordan, things began to change eight years ago when the township board approved the purchase of roughly 3,000 trash bins.
“We had nine semi loads delivered,” he said. “Our garage was completely full. The only thing we could park inside was the jet truck because it had to stay inside. We even filled up another township building we had on Nickerson with bins .”
Jordan said the shift to standardized bins helped clean up the community and made trash collection more efficient.
Today, the township services about 2,800 homes from Monday through Thursday, with yard waste pickup taking place on Fridays. The new automated truck features a drop frame design and a sit-down driving position, which offers improved comfort and safety for operators. It also includes a dual-drive system that allows the driver to operate the vehicle from either side.
“Most of our current trucks are stand-up models,” Jordan explained. “You stand up and drive, which means you’re on the balls of your feet for hours. I’ve driven them. It’s hard work, especially in cold or wet weather. The seat in those trucks is the most uncomfortable thing you’ll ever sit in.”
Jordan said the new truck became available when a vendor listed it for sale. If the township had ordered a similar truck brand new, it would have taken up to two years to arrive.
“They were for sale, and I said we better grab that one,” he said. “If we didn’t, we’d be waiting a long time.”
Supervisor Yates said the truck is a practical investment that shows the township is serious about delivering dependable services.
“It makes me feel good that the job will get done right,” she said. “It also makes things less stressful for Andy, because he can send people out even if he’s short staffed. This helps keep everything running smoothly.”
Yates said the township is focused on growth and efficiency.
“Benton Township continues to grow. We’re going to keep trying to meet the demand and do it as cost-effectively as possible for our residents.”
For Jordan, the purchase also reflects something deeper about how the township operates.
“That’s one thing I love about working here,” he said. “The board sees the need, and there’s never an about getting what we need to do the job. There’s no fighting. They just get it done.”
By Nick Gunn, MOTM Contributor
Benton Charter Township Supervisor Cathy Yates and Public Works Supervisor Andrew Jordan
