City short of garbage trucks in supply chain backlog

A shortage of garbage trucks may be causing delays in curbside pickups on Oahu.

The Department of Environmental Serv­ices said in a press release Friday that possible intermittent delays are due to a shortage of available collection trucks.

According to the department, it has a fleet of 105 side-loader refuse trucks for pickup of gray, green and blue residential curbside carts on Oahu. The city typically purchases about 15 new trucks a year for replacement and maintenance, but supply chain and manufacturing delays have left the fleet short.

“Ongoing supply chain and manufacturing delays that began in early 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, are now affecting both the production of new trucks and the availability of replacement parts nationwide,” the city said.

“Of the 73 trucks that have been ordered over the past five fiscal years, ENV has only received 17 of them — and no new trucks have been delivered since November 2020. Prior to 2021, trucks were typically delivered to the City within 12 months of the date they were ordered. Now, orders are taking two or more years to fulfill.”

The city said it expects to receive 11 new trucks by the end of this year and another 15 in 2025, increasing inventory and helping to reduce potential delays in collection.

“Despite their vehicle challenges, ENV and its dedicated refuse collection workforce are committed to ensuring reliable and uninterrupted refuse collection serv­ices, recognizing its importance to residents and good public health,” the city said.