Dallas city officials have announced plans to halt alleyway garbage and recycling pickups for approximately 26,000 residents starting January 19, 2026.
Cliff Gillespie, the director of sanitation services for Dallas, revealed the updated figure to The Dallas Morning News, noting a decrease from initial estimates of 30,000 customers affected by the change.
The transition will primarily impact two groups: around 19,000 customers with front driveways whose trash is currently collected from alleys less than 9 feet wide, who will begin curbside collection in January; and an additional 7,000 homes set to switch on July 20, 2026.
In response to the upcoming changes, the city plans to increase outreach to the affected households, which will continue through the end of 2025.
Residents will be able to check their status via an online FAQ on the sanitation department’s website alongside an interactive map.
“We will begin direct contact with affected customers through direct mail and email, where available.
We’re also going to place stickers on the roll cart lids,” Gillespie stated.
“Every way that we can communicate with those impacted, we’ll be doing it.”
The decision to phase out alley collections, initially announced in 2024, faced considerable public opposition.
Concerns have arisen from residents about the difficulties posed by the change, particularly for those with back driveways who have limited front space for trash bins.
Moreover, the transition poses additional challenges for seniors and individuals with disabilities in moving bins around their homes.
City officials have emphasized the necessity of this change, citing that narrow alleyways hinder safe truck operations, leading to frequent equipment damage and injuries.
The plan targets alley collections specifically in alleys 9 feet wide or less, with a focus on neighborhood blocks where most homes typically have front driveways.
Additionally, service will be terminated in dead-end alleys longer than 200 feet and in unpaved alleys.
The revised plan does not require City Council approval, as a section of the city code grants the head of sanitation authority to determine alley bin placement.
While the code mandates that trash collection services must be provided to all residents, it lacks stipulations regarding pickup locations within properties.
“According to the city code, alley service is by exception, not by rule,” Gillespie explained.
Currently, Dallas provides weekly trash and recycling pickups for over 261,000 customers, where the majority (36%) still utilize alley pickups—around 95,000 homes.
The service is primarily utilized in northeast, northwest, and far north Dallas.
Additionally, the Dallas sanitation department offers a program named Helping Hands, which assists customers with physical disabilities in handling their garbage and recycling bins.
The ongoing proposals regarding the service changes could potentially alter monthly fees for residents.
A new monthly fee of $45.69 is being proposed for those who wish to retain alley service, while curbside collection would cost $38.02.
Residents currently pay a flat fee of $39.73 regardless of their collection service mode.
Any modifications to these rates would need to be approved by the City Council during the annual budget review, with the earliest potential implementation being October 2026, if approved.
The Dallas sanitation department currently operates two types of trucks for waste collection: rear-loading trucks that employ a driver plus two additional workers for manual loading and side-loading trucks that feature an automated arm necessitating only one operator.
As of September 2023, the operational cost for the 109 rear-loading trucks, which utilize almost 300 city staff and temporary workers, stands at $18 million.
In contrast, running 92 automated side-loading trucks costs approximately $11 million, with alley pickups typically utilizing the rear-loading trucks.
In efforts to meet labor needs in sanitation, the Dallas City Council approved a substantial five-year, $54 million contract with A & Associates, a temporary staffing firm, in 2021.
The terms of this contract require the provider to supply a minimum of 170 laborers per day to work on the rear-loading trucks.
Nonetheless, a 2024 audit unveiled serious concerns regarding the management of this staffing contract.
The audit highlighted lapses in verifying the legal work status of temporary workers and ensuring they passed pre-employment drug tests.
Additionally, it brought attention to incomplete background checks and the absence of required certifications as workers commenced their duties.
Other noted issues encompassed a lack of onsite supervision, missing work ID cards, and unstandardized uniforms.
The audit concluded that there exists a significant gap in the monitoring of the temporary staffing contract.
Gillespie stated that the city is taking measures to address these oversight issues to enhance contract compliance.
He mentioned ongoing plans to phase out rear-loading trucks in favor of automated ones over the next five to seven years, which, he expressed, would help reduce costs.
“We understand that many residents will be frustrated by this transition, as it alters weekly routines that have become established over the years,” Gillespie acknowledged.
The city’s sanitation department faces a balancing act as they seek to enhance operational efficiencies while addressing the concerns of residents regarding these significant service changes.
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