How does a garbage truck work?

Have you ever seen a big truck pick up trash? These garbage trucks are cool! Let’s learn how they work. We will use easy words to help you know all about these special trucks.

What Is a Garbage Truck?

A garbage truck is a big truck that picks up our trash. It takes the trash to places where it can be thrown away or made into new things. These trucks help keep our streets clean.

There are many kinds of garbage trucks. Some have robot arms. Some need people to lift the trash. All of them help take away the things we don’t want.

Parts of a Garbage Truck

Let’s look at what makes up a garbage truck:

• Chassis – This is the bottom part that holds everything up
• Compaction System – This squeezes trash to make more room
• Hopper – This is where the trash goes first
• Hydraulic Arms – These help lift heavy bins
• Cab – Where the driver sits

The most important part is the compaction system. It pushes trash together so the truck can hold more. Without it, trucks would fill up too fast!

Types of Garbage Trucks

There are different kinds of garbage trucks. Let’s learn about them:

Front-Loaders

Front-loader trucks have big forks in the front. These forks pick up large bins at stores and apartments. The forks lift the bin up and over the driver’s head. Then the trash falls into the back of the truck.

Side-Loaders

Side-loader trucks come in two types:

1. Manual side-loaders: Workers put trash in from the side
2. Automated side-loaders: A robot arm grabs bins from the side

The robot arm is super cool! The driver uses special controls and cameras to see what they are doing. This keeps workers safe because they don’t have to lift heavy things.

Rear-Loaders

Rear-loaders have an opening in the back. Workers put trash bags in this opening, or the truck backs up to big bins. These are common in many towns.

How a Garbage Truck Works: Step by Step

Now let’s see how these trucks work:

Step 1: Collection

The truck drives to your house on a set route. Trucks follow the same path each week so they don’t miss anyone’s trash.

Step 2: Loading

The trash goes into the truck in one of these ways:

• Workers put it in by hand
• A robot arm grabs the bin
• The truck lifts a big container

Step 3: Compaction

Once trash is inside, a big metal plate pushes it down. This is called compaction. It makes more room so the truck can pick up trash from more houses before it gets full.

Step 4: Transportation

After picking up all the trash, the truck drives to a dump or recycling center. This is where all our trash ends up after it leaves our homes.

Step 5: Unloading

At the dump, the truck tips up to let all the trash fall out. Some trucks push the trash out with a big plate inside.

Cool Garbage Truck Facts

Here are some neat facts about garbage trucks:

Fact	Information
Cost of an electric garbage truck	$500,000-$600,000 (twice as much as regular trucks)
NYC’s new program	Will be first with 100% containerized trash in Manhattan by 2025
Electric trucks	Cut pollution by 50% and are 70% quieter
Types of garbage trucks	Front-loaders, side-loaders, rear-loaders, electric models
How much trash can be squeezed	Up to 3 times smaller with compaction

New Garbage Truck Technology

Garbage trucks are getting better and smarter:

• Electric trucks – No gas means less smoke and quieter trucks
• Robot arms – Make picking up trash safer and faster
• Cameras – Help drivers see better
• Computers – Track where the truck has been
• Special engines – Like the PACCAR MX-11 that is strong but light

In New York City, they are trying new ways to handle trash. They want all trash to be in containers instead of bags on the street. They will use special side-loading trucks that can pick up these bins.

Garbage Trucks in Your Town

Did you know that garbage trucks follow the same path each week? They have a plan to get to every house. The drivers know just where to go.

When the truck comes to your house, it might use a robot arm to pick up your bin. Or workers might take your trash bags. Either way, the trash goes into the compactor part of the truck.

Hook arm garbage trucks can pick up whole big containers. These are good for places like malls or schools that make a lot of trash.

Electric Garbage Trucks

Some cities now use electric garbage trucks. These trucks:

• Don’t need gas
• Make less noise
• Don’t make smoke
• Cost more to buy
• Cost less to run over time

An electric automated garbage truck costs about $500,000-$600,000. That’s a lot! But cities save money later because they don’t buy gas and the trucks last longer.

Why Garbage Trucks Are Important

Garbage trucks keep our towns clean. Without them, trash would pile up. This could make people sick.

These trucks also help sort trash so some things can be made into new things. This helps our world stay cleaner.

Rear loader waste compactor trucks are one of the most common types you’ll see in neighborhoods.

How to Help Garbage Truck Workers

You can help the people who drive garbage trucks:

• Put your bins in the right spot
• Don’t make bins too heavy
• Keep sharp things wrapped up
• Say thank you when you see them

Fun Facts About Garbage Trucks

• Some garbage trucks can hold as much trash as 25 homes make in a week!
• Drivers might pick up trash from over 800 homes in one day
• Garbage trucks have special seats that make bumpy roads feel smoother
• Some trucks have TV screens inside to show what the cameras see
• The first garbage trucks used horses to pull them

Wrap Up

Now you know how garbage trucks work! They have many parts that help pick up, squish, and move trash. Different kinds of trucks work best in different places.

Next time you see a garbage truck, you can tell your friends all about:

• The chassis that holds everything up
• The compaction system that squeezes trash
• The hydraulic arms that lift heavy bins
• How the truck drives on a set route
• Why electric trucks are better for our air

Remember to wave to the garbage truck workers! They help keep our towns clean.