NEW ORLEANS — Metro Service Group is making good on its promise to bring in help to make sure New Orleans trash is picked up on time.
Garbage has been stacking up in front of people’s homes in recent weeks as Metro struggles to keep up with the city’s twice-a-week pickup schedule.
Tuesday, IV Waste, owned by businessman Sidney Torres collected garbage in the city’s lake area communities.
Folks in Lake Vista were happy to see the crews emptying garbage cans on their street.
“Happy and we’re already talking about it online and by phone, how prompt they’ve been today and how courteous,” a neighbor told WWL-TV.
We caught up with IV Waste working a route on the bird streets.
Metro Service Group owner Jimmie Woods said he was reaching out to his peers in the waste collection business for help.
Metro has been plagued by recent labor shortages and has not been able to complete its pickup schedule. Neighbors complain trash pickup has been delayed in some areas for days and even weeks.
Torres says for now, his company has agreed to cover Metro in the neighborhoods along the lakefront.
“We’re going to continue to help add trucks as we can in certain areas to assist him, so he can shuffle those trucks to the East and Gentilly and other areas,” Torres said. “We’re glad to help (Woods) out.”
City Councilman Joe Giarrusso has been pushing Metro to hire backup until it can bring on additional workers.
“Really the proof will be in the pudding though, right, and that’s getting people’s trash picked up and having it done regularly, making sure that pickups resume the way their supposed to be,” Giarrusso said.
IV Waste has contracts to pick up garbage in Kenner and St. Bernard Parish.
Torres says coming out of the pandemic, he’s had to adjust his own business plan.
“We’ve had to pay more money,” Torres said. “We’ve had to up the pay, do more incentive type stuff. We’ve done some signing bonuses.”
Back in Lake Vista, neighbors are thankful their trash is no longer on the curb.
“I think it’s a hard task and I’m proud that they want to do it and they’re working hard,” the neighbor said.
Torres is working on a deal to give Metro additional trucks on Friday.