Why Philly trash trucks operate during rush hour

In a city that produces almost 1.5 million tons of residential and commercial waste per year, trash collection never stops.

And that sometimes leaves Philadelphians channeling their Oscar the Grouch spirit after getting stuck behind a collection truck during rush hour.

This scenario led a reader to ask Curious Philly, The Inquirer’s forum for questions about the city and region, why do trash trucks operate during rush hour?

Simply put, “Sanitation is a 24-hour operation,” said Keisha McCarty-Skelton, Department of Streets spokesperson. Trash and recycling pickup starts in most areas at 7 a.m. and is ideally collected before the afternoon rush hour, she said, but that’s not always the case.

That clock does not include weekends, making trash collection coincide with the busiest commuting days.

Trash collection takes place citywide Monday to Friday, with Wednesday and Thursday being the days the most neighborhoods get their trash collected.

According to McCarty, the city tries to avoid collecting in heavily trafficked areas during the morning rush hour.

In Center City, from Vine Street to Bainbridge Street between the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers, collection starts an hour earlier, at 6 a.m.

Collection trucks can drive by any time through the day, so the possibility of trash pickup happening during heavy traffic is never zero.

Events such as staffing levels due to vacations, equipment failure, crashes, road closures, and additional trash during peak seasons can also make it more likely for you to encounter a garbage truck during rush hour, McCarty-Skelton said.

If you happen to be driving or walking while collection is taking place, remember to keep your distance and stay alert. Between 2015 and 2019, nearly 1,500 accidents involving city sanitation trucks took place.