New Saugus trash truck to simplify clean ups

SAUGUS – When Founder’s Day arrives each year, the town’s public works employees brace for a massive cleanup involving hoisting trash barrels into dump trucks and hauling the refuse in multiple trips to the local incinerator.Those days are gone.Town officials Tuesday christened a newly purchased $80,000 small-sized compacting trash truck as part of the public works fleet.Public Works Director Joseph Attubato was all smiles as he inspected the factory-fresh interior replete with a video screen that allows the driver to see what’s behind the truck via camera as it backs up.”This truck is going to save us a lot of time, energy and effort,” he said, noting the purchase was authorized last year by Town Meeting. “It’s smaller than a regular trash truck, but it holds quite a bit.”The white, diesel-powered Ford was parked at the Department of Public Works barn Tuesday where mechanics finished examining the on-board systems and decisions were being made on what kind of lettering and logo to paint on the cab doors.Lorna Cerbone, the town’s recycling coordinator, said plans are under way to invite students from the Belmonte Middle School to participate in a design competition for the door logo. “We know the government logo for recycling is three arrows chasing each other. But we want something special and kids at that age are very creative,” she said. “Whoever wins will get a $50 gift certificate as a prize.”Cerbone explained purchasing a town trash truck was the result of years of discussion. “Other communities have their own,” she said. “We had been thinking the last few years about getting our own little truck. We surveyed lots of communities and found out we could benefit in several ways from having one.”Town Manager Andrew Bisignani said the truck also solves health and environmental issues. “Guys won’t be tossing barrels into an open truck. The trash will be compacted as they collect it as part of the operation before it’s taken to RESCO,” he said. “The whole process will be a lot more streamlined.Cerbone said the truck can be used by parks employees when emptying barrels, as well as for carting away debris from small town maintenance work sites.”During Founder’s Day, or at any big event, instead of renting a roll-off we will have our own truck on site,” she said, adding the vehicle will come in handy to address incidents of illegal dumping. “If somebody leaves a couch or other trash on the side of the road, instead of sending down public works trucks to get it and go to RESCO with only one item, they can just toss it in the truck and when the truck is fairly loaded they can to the incinerator. It’s also just nice to have a truck in house so that we don’t always have to make special arrangements.”Attubato said the truck should spare public works and parks employees a lot of back pain. “I think it’s going to work out well,” he said. “Right now we use a dump truck and a front-end loader. It’s a lot more work.”Bisignani agreed. “There is a lot of practical value to it,” he said.A manufacturer’s salesman gave some driving tips to two public works employees Monday as safety lighting was attached. A commercial driver’s license isn’t required to pilot the vehicle, according to Attubato.”By next week, it should be registered and on the road,” he said.