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Day in the life of a Commercial Waste Bin Driver

  • Nikki Prince
  • Jun 18
  • 4 min read

I headed over to Catwrights Waste Management in Telford to find out more about what they

do. Over 2 days I went out with several drivers to get a wide range of perspectives on the different job roles available.


First up I went out with driver, Chris doing commercial waste collections. With a 6am start there were around 100 pick ups scheduled for the day. Like all driving jobs the day starts with daily walk round checks and then checking the PDA for the list of jobs before setting off for the day.


The PDA displays the place name, address details of what bins are to be emptied. If anything is different when you arrive at the job you can record on the system and the office can look into it and update/amend for future reference. Some jobs have keypads to access sites, but again all details will be on the PDA job sheet. Jobs can be added and removed throughout the day so just need to make sure you keep checking.


Full PPE is required for the role, this is high viz, tops, trousers and steel toe cap boots. Cartwright's supply uniform to their staff which is a big bonus and means you don't have to sort out your own. This also means staff are well turned out and recognizable in company clothing.


Chris did his driving with Dulsons training and has been driving for 3 years now. He previously did factory work and says this is much better. Chris, did hiab work before joining Cartwrights which involved reversing on and off building sites, he says the skills he learnt in that role have helped in the current job when he has had to maneuvere narrow or congested spaces.


On our round for the day all stops were commercial. Typically due to the nature of the job there is no interaction with the businesses or people. There is a wide variety of places waste is collected from ranging from small independent businesses, schools, pubs/restaurants, farms and care homes. No two days are the same and routes rotate over a 3 week schedule. Chris' routes mainly include Much Wenlock, Broseley, Telford rounds and involve travelling on Country roads, busy high streets and in rural locations.


Routine on larger collections tend to follow the same pattern. Sort the food bins and empty them first, then move the truck forward and do the next lot. This means less distance to drag the bins, working smarter not harder. Sometimes you do have to find bins, by looking in bin sheds etc but most are easily visible on sites, especially on regular stops. Chris also has a loader 2 days a week on busier rounds which helps as it's hard work and having a second person helping takes the pressure off.


All the lifting is controlled from the back of the truck. If auto controls fail you can however manually control them. There is also a rubber bar along the top which stops bins falling in. I remember watching the bin wagons on a weekly basis when my son was a toddler and he asked me several times how do they stop the bins falling in and back then I never knew the answer.


As part of the job drivers need to undertake training for health and safety and hazardous waste. The drivers work 5 days a week, occasionally needing to work a weekend like if a truck broke down in the week, but this is very rare. Drivers are also responsible for cleaning their own trucks and Fridays or Saturdays they do a deep clean.


Tips for New Drivers (General):

  • Don't give up and agency work is great for gaining experience

  • Get some experience, better to have some driving experience behind you due to tight maneuveres.


Good Points:

  • Bins are good hours and allow a work life balance

  • Money is ok

  • Job is good, lots of variety

  • Early finish/start

  • Being outside,

  • secure job always gonna be bins that need emptying (job security)


Bad Points:

  • Weather. Hot weather not ideal for smell, and in the rain you can't get dry after,

  • Impatient cars/people, everyone is in a rush.

  • Tight narrow pedestrianised roads and people who don't realise you have a job to do. Have to think on the spot about how to get into certain areas.

  • Getting covered in bin splatter


Tips for New Drivers (Bin Drivers):

  •  Can take 6-8wks to become familiar with the route so give yourself time to learn and adjust.

  • Get to know routes, know if it makes sense to do another job off the list first

    • eg At school run times consider coming from a different direction.



To be able to do this type of work you need to be physically fit as it is as physically demanding job. You have got to think on your feet and need patience, so is not good if you struggle with anxiety. You must be able to work on your own, solve problems and not be bothered about the smell which is noticeably worse in summer.


Compared to other driving jobs it is easier for drivers to stop for breaks and to find somewhere to stop for food which is always a bonus. Overall the job was interesting and varied. I was surprised that is wasn't as smelly as I expected. Bit stereotypical I know, but only one stop on the route was smelly. Emptying the food waste was a little grim, but as a driver you wouldn't be up close to the action for this part, so not an issue. I did like that the hours are more sociable than some sectors and if you are an early bird this could be perfect for you.




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