“YOU CALL, WE HAUL” PILOT EXTENDED FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY
June 21, 2004 - The City of Houston will extend the “You Call, We Haul” heavy trash pilot program until July 31, 2004. “The pilot program was originally scheduled to run from March 15, 2004, to June 15, 2004, for 90 days, however, we would like to allow for additional time to see if the program is worthy of expansion in the pilot area, as well as in other Houston neighborhoods,” said Terence Fontaine, Mayor Bill White’s deputy chief of staff. The pilot area is I-45 to the North, US Highway 288 to the West, Old Spanish Trail to the South, Texas Spur 5/Calhoun to the East.
“We urge residents in the ‘You Call, We Haul’ pilot program area to call 311 when they need their heavy trash picked up or to report heavy trash or illegal dumping in the neighborhood. If you call, we’ll haul,” said Solid Waste Management Director Thomas “Buck” Buchanan. “Since we are extending the time frame for the pilot program until the end of July, we are giving residents two additional heavy trash pickup services at their residence.” This gives program participants a total of 5 collection opportunities.
The number of calls for heavy trash collection is unlimited, however residents are only allowed 5 collections per address within the pilot program . Calling for service at a vacant lot or an address other than the caller’s address will NOT count against the caller’s limit.
“You Call, We Haul” is a heavy-trash- on -demand initiative that would replace the current system of running trucks on routes once per month. By calling 311, each single-family residential address in the pilot program area can receive heavy trash pickups anytime they require service (limit of 5 collections). The Solid Waste Management Department will service the request within five working days.
If the pilot program is successful, the “You Call, We Haul” program will be considered for expansion in other neighborhoods as part of Mayor Bill White’s overall goal of improving government efficiency.
For more information, residents may call 311 or log onto www.houstonsolidwaste.org.