“Tyler Talks Trash” App and New Recycling Schedule
Posted/updated on: November 15, 2014 at 4:55 pm
TYLER — A new resource is available to Tyler Solid Waste customers to help keep up with their recycling and trash pick-up schedule: It’s called Tyler Talks Trash. Available on the website http://www.TylerSolidWaste.com or as a mobile app, on both Android and Apple phones, the service allows customers to see their collection day calendar by simply typing in their address. The calendar shows both recycling and trash collection dates, as well as any changes to the schedule including holiday or bad weather delays.
“After last year’s ice storm we knew we needed a better way to alert our customers about any route changes in a fast and reliable manner,” said Solid Waste Director Russ Jackson. “Now it will be easy for citizens to check either their phone or computer to get up-to-date information. Most of us take our trash pick-up for granted until something disrupts the service, and then everybody wants answers quickly.” A printable map is available and customers may also sign up for reminders via email, a phone call, Twitter, or calendar request (iCal, Outlook, Google Calendar). “This app is just in time for our new recycling schedule that will begin on Dec. 1,” said Jackson.
Currently, recycling is being picked up once a week, either on the first and third or second and fourth Wednesday of each month. However, this causes confusion when there is a fifth Wednesday in a month or anytime there is a holiday schedule change, according to officials. To alleviate this confusion, officials say recycling will be picked up every other week regardless of how many weeks are in a month. Also, routes will be changed from a Wednesday only schedule, to include pick-ups on either Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays.
Also, if your pick-up day is a city holiday, then your recycling pick-up will be on the following day. If Monday is your usually scheduled day and it is a holiday, then your pick-up day will be Tuesday. If Friday, then the pickup will be on Saturday. This change will allow the city to have one driver and one truck picking up recycling, and only delivering the load to the Rivers Recycling Center in Kilgore when it’s full. This will amount to an estimated savings of $85,000 per year, according to officials.
“We see this as a much more fiscally responsible route, as well as being easier to remember for the Tyler residents,” said Jackson. “This is a wonderful idea that came directly from my Solid Waste employees. I’m pleased at how the department is constantly seeking to improve.”
