HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The city of Houston is expanding its solid waste department fleet, and they say the goal is to improve trash collection times for you.
Houston Solid Waste Management Director Larius Hassen told ABC13 that by the end of the month, they will have added 50 recycling trucks at a cost of $12 million.
With more than 400,000 people to serve, Hassen said these 50 new trucks will make a difference in the city.
“These new trucks represent real progress in how we serve our residents,” Hassen said in a release on Tuesday afternoon. “Every vehicle we add strengthens our operations, supports our crews, and moves us closer to on-time collection.”
For people across Houston, like Walter Thomas, getting their trash picked up in a timely manner is essential.
“My opinion is that it’s great,” Thomas said.
The solid waste director says the new vehicles will be added to their approximately 200 existing trucks.
“The trucks that we have are our aging fleet. We had trucks that had 160,000 …170,000 miles on them,” Hassen said. ” And for a city this size, those trucks were used, and we didn’t get a lot of maintenance on them in previous years. With these new trucks coming, it works as a filler in.”
He says the $12 million investment into the solid waste department is expected to help with time collection for folks at home.
“It gives us the leverage to go out there and serve more citizens while simultaneously giving our fleet department the opportunity to go and fix the trucks that we have currently and bring them up to speed,” Hassen said.
Representatives with the solid waste department say these trucks can hold between four to five tons of recycled items. They told ABC13 that their drivers will make two stops at their facility to dump the recyclables.
With 25 new trucks already on the road and 25 more expected in the weeks to come, they say they’re driving toward progress.
For updates on this story, follow Daniela Hurtado on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Copyright © 2025 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Niko Travis is a dedicated health writer with a passion for providing clear, reliable, and research-backed information about medications and mental health. As the author behind TrazodoneSUC, Niko simplifies complex medical topics to help readers understand the benefits, uses, and potential risks of Trazodone. With a commitment to accuracy and well-being, Niko ensures that every article empowers readers to make informed decisions about their health.
