Technology Transforming the Waste and Recycling Fleet Management Industry

The Waste & Recycling transportation industry is one of several industries that is rapidly being transformed by innovative technology. We have moved beyond vehicle tracking into new methods of service verification and route performance management.

Coretex is a leader in the waste and recycling transportation industry and currently works with four of the five largest waste haulers in North America. Coretex acquired Air-Trak three years ago and has continued to enhance the platform to increase efficiencies, decrease operating costs, and improve the customer experience. The following are a few emerging technologies contributing to the industry’s transformation:

Real-time route performance

Our eRoutes (electronic route sheets) application accurately and automatically tracks residential and commercial routes, allowing the drivers to be paperless. Real-time route completion can be viewed by dispatch on a map in real time and eliminate the need for phone and/or radio conversations. Being able to easily track routes and monitor the status work orders without disrupting its drivers, provides the ability to proactively distribute labor which saves time and money, while keeping drivers safer than ever before.

Coretex’s platform is future proof because it uses ruggedized Android-based tablets with modular commercial hardware and the software for the dispatcher’s portal is in the cloud. Web-browser based dashboards have replaced antiquated systems that required software to be downloaded on each computer. Our API also integrates with third party applications including route planning, CRM, billing, reports, and business intelligence tools. 

Radio-frequency identification technology systems

RFID is an efficient way to track specific containers and verify service. Manual monitoring of trash bins requires time and often leads to unnecessary mistakes. Waste and recycling containers are now regularly equipped with RFID tags. Initially, RFID was adopted primarily as an inventory and cart deployment tool. The technology also assists in tracking cart type and size, location, work order management and the repairs of containers.

Now, waste haulers are using them more to provide automated collection and real time proof of service verification for all service addresses. RFID data is instrumental in recording customer, location, time stamps at pick-up, number of occurrences a container is used for collection, as well as logging the container’s refuse type for every pickup.

In recycling, this actionable intelligence is important for municipalities that measure participation quotas for their recycling diversion programs down to the route, street, and individual home. A few of our customers provide this granular reporting data to cities that tailor marketing campaigns that reward consumers who comply with recycling requirements or communicate to customers that are not meeting standards.

Coretex’s RFID capabilities are second to none and is used in conjunction with GPS to provide real time visibility to all waste transportation activities. In addition, our trained installers provide top notch service to fleets to ensure systems are performing to specification.

Camera verification of service

The latest advancement in waste transportation technology is the addition of camera-based verification systems. The Coretex platform has an exception feature for drivers to record blocked or contaminated carts and other service anomalies on the spot. With image verification added to the service, customer service staff are armed with actionable service information, including a video clip showing proof of the exceptions. Pilot programs incorporating this technology have been beneficial in resolving service complaints quicker and enforcing fines administered by municipalities for exceptions and non-compliance of hazardous waste removal.

In-cab monitoring

Cortex waste and recycling event monitoring technology captures critical in-cab performance data such as hours of service, location, ignition on and off, engine idle times, and excessive speed for each truck. This valuable data is communicated to back office systems.

Boost your customer service and drive waste out of your operating costs with our telematics-based solutions for waste and recycling fleets. Learn more and schedule a demo of our proven, innovative technology here.