Riverside city officials said last week’s scorching heat wave resulted in more than a dozen garbage trucks being taken out of rotation due to mechanical issues and driver safety concerns.
With temperatures exceeding triple-digits for several consecutive days, 19 of the city’s trash truck fleet were sidelined due to overheating, dangerously hot conditions inside the vehicle cabins and issues with refueling those vehicles that use compressed natural gas.
The City says the dangerous heat wave exasperated existing issues it has faced with its aging fleet of garbage trucks and has caused citywide pick-up delays.
Municipal mechanics and local shops are currently working to repair those vehicles that were damaged by overheating and return them into service. Overheating can cause myriad vehicle issues ranging from engine and transmission damage to electrical system failures.
Additionally, many of the older garbage trucks currently on the road don’t have air conditioning, the City said, and when temperatures repeatedly hovered around 107 degrees, the temperatures inside those vehicles soared to 120 degrees or higher — too dangerous for drivers to safely operate.
Natural gas-powered trucks were unable to be refueled because local fueling stations were shut down, officials said.
Compressed natural gas tanks can experience pressure shifts caused by temperature swings. When temperatures soar, containers can experience dangerous high-pressure levels that could result in a rupture.
Closures of those fueling stations caused hourslong delays, city officials added.
Because so many vehicles have been sidelined, the remaining operable trucks have had to pick up the slack, collecting as much trash, recyclables and green waste as possible. That’s led to scheduling challenges and delays.
Riverside City Manager Mike Futrell said there is a “concentrated effort” to get trucks back in service as quickly as possible.
“Every effort is being made to catch up on missed routes and stay on schedule going forward,” Futrell added.
The worst of the heat wave appears to be in the rearview with temperatures throughout the work week and weekend hovering around the high 80s.
Beyond that, the City says it is already in the process of replacing its aging truck fleet with new vehicles that are expected to arrive in the coming months.
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