NEW ORLEANS — Large piles of trash have been stacking up on the curb in front of people’s homes from Lakeview to New Orleans East.
For the past month and half, Metro Service Group has fallen further and further behind on its trash pickup schedule.
“We’ve had this recent hiccup,” Metro owner Jimmie Woods told WWL-TV. “We’re going to address it.”
Metro is one of three city waste contractors.
The company picks up garbage in New Orleans neighborhoods mostly north of I-10.
Woods says bottom line, he is short about 10-12 drivers.
“Some have taken other jobs with other companies,” Woods said. “Some have gone into business for themselves, doing various things, so it’s a variety of reasons that we have this shortage.”
That shortage has now led to chronic delays across Metro’s pickup areas.
Woods disputes the claim he isn’t paying his drivers well enough to keep them. He said he is now paying them $17 an hour with a signing bonus.
“Our wages today are very competitive,” Woods said.
Richard’s Disposal, Wastepro out of Baton Rouge, Ramelli, River Birch and IV Waste are now helping cover Metro’s routes.
“We are importing drivers and labor from other operations we have in different parts of the state and out of state,” Woods said. “We’re bringing them in. We’re utilizing our relationship with some of our peers.”
Metro has not only drawn fire from customers, but the New Orleans City Council is also now talking about suspending city sanitation fees for a month because of the pickup delays.
That could cost the company an estimated $3.5 million.
“We would have to see whether or not, the city has the ability to do that and react at that time,” Woods said.
Woods is asking customers for patience as he works to get Metro back on schedule.
“We anticipate being back on track in the next 30 days. (That’s) as close to a guarantee as I can give you,” he said.
Metro is now working with Louisiana’s Workforce Development office to train and hire new drivers.
The city council is meeting to discuss trash pick on Thursday, beginning at 1 p.m. at New Orleans City Hall.