I'm rooting for these guys - it looks like their COO has been in waste management since 1999 (and, from the article, his family's been in it for decades). As a casual observer of "non-sexy" startups, I've noticed that these kinds of founding teams do well.
What's next? An Uber-like service that will deliver gasoline directly to your car that is parked in your driveway?
Hmm... Come to think of it, that would actually be pretty sweet. I would never have to stop and fill up my gas tank! It would just always be full! A gas delivery truck would come in the middle of the night (according to a schedule I define using the mobile app), and it would fill up my car's tank and automatically bill my credit card!
There's lots of reasons that you have beyond the normal amount of garbage or difficult to deal with garbage. It's really hard to get it removed if you need it on a short notice.
A lot of municipalities have limits refuse. For example in NYC you can no longer get rid of electronics in the regular trash. You're supposed to take them to a place that can deal with it. Fair enough. The problem is that there aren't many places and some of them are only open week days. Folks from outer burrows that cannot drive are not going to be able to do that.
Also, sometimes you need to get rid of a lot of stuff that you don't want to move when moving because you're going to get new stuff on the other side (bed, mattress). It'd be so much easier to call somebody up and have them just take it away on the last day of your lease.
This isn't very uber-like, since it's only for businesses. I'd love to be able to easily get someone to pick up cardboard and other trash at my house. We're big users of Amazon Prime and also starting a business that involves a lot of large deliveries, so we're completely buried in cardboard and the expensive local garbage/recycling service cannot support us. We're ordering our second dumpster in less than a year to try to clear out.
I believe many of the refueling companies have shifted to servicing employees of big companies at their corporate parking lots since the economics are way better this way.
I can already just call Got Junk and have them take most things. However, the canisters of paints and other crap that needs to be dropped at special locations? They won't take those.
Since I don't own a car (by choice), I'm essentially screwed. The disposal locations are only on very specific days with bad hours, and usually in the middle of nowhere.
It's the only thing I can't easily do without driving. Get me someone who will pick all that shit up and they'll get all my money.
Calling it 'Uber for garbage' does this business a great disservice.
I believe this will be a great great business and borrows nothing from Uber anymore than from Taskrabbit or Postmates. The domain experience needed to understand the whole logistic should have made Techcrunch think twice about that headline. But sure clicks and all that.
To residents - even in ""socialist"" europe businesses will have to pay, and often have the option of opting out of city waste pickup to private services.
That's what I was thinking.
I'm assuming they go above and beyond what the city may offer.
if you are a company like whole foods - you probably don't want trash sitting around until a city assigned garbage is ready to pick it up in a week. same with hotels, etc.
As others have noted the types of services vary widely by region and jurisdiction. Some have exclusive contracts with a single hauler to provide residential and commercial collection. Some have their own gov owned/operated fleet. Some contract for residential and let commercial have an open market.
The wild variety of situations means that large companies don't want to have to wade through all the possibilities at each of their locations and instead hire a broker to manage their waste at all sites. The broker then works out how to get them service everywhere and uses their domain knowledge to get a decent price from the hauler where negotiation is possible.
It appears to me that these guys are a Broker++ since they are building meaningful relationships with the haulers that service their customers. As they say in the article they have two customers (the waste producer, and the waste hauler). This is definitely a departure from the typical broker that treat the haulers poorly (delaying payments, short paying, never paying, ridiculous requirements, etc for the haulers). I can see it working out really well for them if haulers are comfortable letting this company inject themselves into their trucks via an app.
FYI - I work in the industry writing software for independent waste haulers. Before that I operated my family's waste hauling operation in CA. We offered 1x week residential and up to 6x per week commercial collection as part of an exclusive contract with the City. Our customers paid us directly but that's not always the case with city contracts.
Yes and no. My garbage company will only pick up anything that fits in our issued garbage bins. We can make an appointment for larger items, like an old couch, picked up for an extra fee. But in that case there isn't much difference except the Uber for garbage would be faster/easier to use. In addition as others have pointed out, businesses usually have to set up their own contracts.
seeing that they are in Atlanta I can only offer my experience living in the metro area. Suburban pickup is a multitude of private haulers, some with full size trucks and others running the mini style. There are even some non traditional haulers. Combine with all the custom haulers; leave dumpsters on site, pick up and haul on demand, etc, so there is certainly a market.
two dumps near me serve all these haulers and from just talking to a few to reading their websites many have government contracts as well. the local schools have branded dumpsters!
reading the article the one service which looks cool is giving customers assurance of where their waste goes so that they in turn can use this as a halo effect when getting customers for their own service. plus if you could effectively track and route specific types of recyclables surely there is profit in it
Yes, however for example I live in an unincorporated area and have to either contract my own trash removal, or haul it myself to a county trash site and pay by the bag to throw it away.
I pay about $25/month for weekly pickup. Some weeks I have less trash and could skip the pickup, but that doesn't save me any money. Some weeks I forget to set it out for pickup on the designated day and I have to wait until the next week.
If I could get my trash picked up on demand whenever I have a full bin that would be something I'd seriously look at. I think it's a great idea.
Unfortunately I think it would end up being more expensive. No way ad-hoc pickup out in a rural area is going to be cheaper than a truck sweeping through the area once a week and servicing all the houses on one trip.
It really depends on the city, and even where in the city. At my last house, I had to contract my own waste service of my choice. When I moved, the erm, 'subcity', if that's a word, provides it as a perk.
My jaw dropped when I saw the headline thinking an idea of mine had not fell on deaf ears. Then I realized it was just another instance of parallel development of ideas. Over two years ago when I was living in a rice farming village in Java, Indonesia, and was very upset about all the trash being put in pits or burned since there was no garbage pickup I thought of an 'Uber for garbage' app and business model. The garbage was becoming worse, because people were hauling goods back to their village an opening up small stands with mostly junk - soda, candy and plastic toys, and nowhere to send the waste.
Recyclers or garbage pickup could become efficient and lucrative for the small truck recyclers and scrappers, if villages could request a pickup and any available driver could accept and create his route for the day. Uber for garbage pickup and recycling was how I referred to it to people at airports, and anybody who would listen.
Their idea is similar but more of a money-maker catering to first world businesses like Whole Foods. I hope it can branch out and become successful in the villages around the world for the local economies too. I wish them luck and prosperity.
Currently renovating my home, while maintaining a full-time position and being a dad, blah, blah, blah. Point is, I don't have a lot of time, but with focus can accomplish one messy project after another over time.
Renting a dumpster will go unused for most of the time I've rented it for; it'll also cost $400-$500 it seems.
I don't have an HOA, but I'd bet I'd only be able to choose from the nicest (read: pricy-est) waste management companies and have little time with it in my driveway.
Getting those "Bagster" things is pretty cool, but kinda steep considering I have to buy the bag(s) and each one will cost $100-$150 to remove.
This is a much better solution than using my 2-car garage as a holding tank until I get a "dumpster's worth" of crap to throw away.
While people are put off by "Uber for X", sometimes it just makes sense, and makes people's lives better.
I want this for residential. Instead of having a "trash day" I wait until my garbage can is full, click a button on my app, and tomorrow morning someone comes and picks up my trash.
Is this not already a thing? I needed an old chair disposed of a few days ago, googled "Seattle Trash Removal", got like 10 results, and the next day somebody came by with a truck and took my chair away. Is this company different because they have an app? Because they offer speedier pickup?
This is why we have the current level of regulation in the waste industry. It has lead to exclusive contracts with haulers that have to report their weights to a local authority. There are many areas with non-exclusive contracts too that allow some appearance of competition, but again only haulers that comply with a significant set of rules (and pay fees) are able to operate in the area.
It's a double edged sword for sure. I'd love to see more open and creative competition in the industry, but since disposal and transportation costs make up such a huge % of a hauler's expenses there will certainly be corrupt entities dumping waste in a canyon somewhere just outside of your community.
Tracking the waste from source to destination accurately and in a way that people can truly trust will certainly be a key to success here. It's worth noting that it is still very likely that some contracted and "compliant" haulers are doing things with your waste that they shouldn't. So that's another place that a start up could potentially differentiate themselves.
"mid-size, independent haulers" in NYC are truly awful drivers. They regularly violate every single rule of the road— I recently saw one signal a right turn, then proceed to turn left and pull a 360 in the intersection while almost hitting a motorcyclist.
Then this driver drove the wrong way down the road in order to a get a bit closer to a load of garbage without having to go around the block.
For residential there's already companies like Junk King, 1-800=Got-Junk and the like. I moved twice in the last seven months and made use of a pickup service like this each time. Admittedly they might not be available in the moment but I had no problem with next day service.
Coincidentally, I just listened the pitch podcast S2 E3 where the company Industrial Organics was also describing themselves as Uber for Garbage. However, they are niching into garbage from restaurant kitchens.
[+] [-] dyim|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] t0mbstone|8 years ago|reply
http://itsalwayssunny.wikia.com/wiki/The_Gang_Recycles_Their...
What's next? An Uber-like service that will deliver gasoline directly to your car that is parked in your driveway?
Hmm... Come to think of it, that would actually be pretty sweet. I would never have to stop and fill up my gas tank! It would just always be full! A gas delivery truck would come in the middle of the night (according to a schedule I define using the mobile app), and it would fill up my car's tank and automatically bill my credit card!
[+] [-] pmalynin|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mtanski|8 years ago|reply
A lot of municipalities have limits refuse. For example in NYC you can no longer get rid of electronics in the regular trash. You're supposed to take them to a place that can deal with it. Fair enough. The problem is that there aren't many places and some of them are only open week days. Folks from outer burrows that cannot drive are not going to be able to do that.
Also, sometimes you need to get rid of a lot of stuff that you don't want to move when moving because you're going to get new stuff on the other side (bed, mattress). It'd be so much easier to call somebody up and have them just take it away on the last day of your lease.
[+] [-] lenley|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gfosco|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jpster|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] awa|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] LeifCarrotson|8 years ago|reply
But I stop to buy gas twice a week. It's my most common, most automate-able errand.
[+] [-] richdougherty|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] hkmurakami|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tintor|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] AndrewKemendo|8 years ago|reply
There are about a dozen of these.
fuel panda is one that is run by a friend of mine
[+] [-] temuze|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] faux_intellect|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rpedela|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jayess|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] foobaw|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sotojuan|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sergiotapia|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] shados|8 years ago|reply
I can already just call Got Junk and have them take most things. However, the canisters of paints and other crap that needs to be dropped at special locations? They won't take those.
Since I don't own a car (by choice), I'm essentially screwed. The disposal locations are only on very specific days with bad hours, and usually in the middle of nowhere.
It's the only thing I can't easily do without driving. Get me someone who will pick all that shit up and they'll get all my money.
[+] [-] tssva|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ThomPete|8 years ago|reply
I believe this will be a great great business and borrows nothing from Uber anymore than from Taskrabbit or Postmates. The domain experience needed to understand the whole logistic should have made Techcrunch think twice about that headline. But sure clicks and all that.
[+] [-] dexterp|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pjc50|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dr_|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jeddawson|8 years ago|reply
The wild variety of situations means that large companies don't want to have to wade through all the possibilities at each of their locations and instead hire a broker to manage their waste at all sites. The broker then works out how to get them service everywhere and uses their domain knowledge to get a decent price from the hauler where negotiation is possible.
It appears to me that these guys are a Broker++ since they are building meaningful relationships with the haulers that service their customers. As they say in the article they have two customers (the waste producer, and the waste hauler). This is definitely a departure from the typical broker that treat the haulers poorly (delaying payments, short paying, never paying, ridiculous requirements, etc for the haulers). I can see it working out really well for them if haulers are comfortable letting this company inject themselves into their trucks via an app.
FYI - I work in the industry writing software for independent waste haulers. Before that I operated my family's waste hauling operation in CA. We offered 1x week residential and up to 6x per week commercial collection as part of an exclusive contract with the City. Our customers paid us directly but that's not always the case with city contracts.
[+] [-] x0x0|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rpedela|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Shivetya|8 years ago|reply
two dumps near me serve all these haulers and from just talking to a few to reading their websites many have government contracts as well. the local schools have branded dumpsters!
reading the article the one service which looks cool is giving customers assurance of where their waste goes so that they in turn can use this as a halo effect when getting customers for their own service. plus if you could effectively track and route specific types of recyclables surely there is profit in it
[+] [-] ams6110|8 years ago|reply
I pay about $25/month for weekly pickup. Some weeks I have less trash and could skip the pickup, but that doesn't save me any money. Some weeks I forget to set it out for pickup on the designated day and I have to wait until the next week.
If I could get my trash picked up on demand whenever I have a full bin that would be something I'd seriously look at. I think it's a great idea.
Unfortunately I think it would end up being more expensive. No way ad-hoc pickup out in a rural area is going to be cheaper than a truck sweeping through the area once a week and servicing all the houses on one trip.
[+] [-] zem|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] axaxs|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|8 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] blhack|8 years ago|reply
When we clean out the garage, my girlfriend and I rent a uhaul truck to take everything to the dump/goodwill/storage.
If I could use this service to just have somebody show up with a truck and pick up the things we want to throw away, it would be really helpful.
[+] [-] eggy|8 years ago|reply
Recyclers or garbage pickup could become efficient and lucrative for the small truck recyclers and scrappers, if villages could request a pickup and any available driver could accept and create his route for the day. Uber for garbage pickup and recycling was how I referred to it to people at airports, and anybody who would listen. Their idea is similar but more of a money-maker catering to first world businesses like Whole Foods. I hope it can branch out and become successful in the villages around the world for the local economies too. I wish them luck and prosperity.
[+] [-] EADGBE|8 years ago|reply
Renting a dumpster will go unused for most of the time I've rented it for; it'll also cost $400-$500 it seems.
I don't have an HOA, but I'd bet I'd only be able to choose from the nicest (read: pricy-est) waste management companies and have little time with it in my driveway.
Getting those "Bagster" things is pretty cool, but kinda steep considering I have to buy the bag(s) and each one will cost $100-$150 to remove.
This is a much better solution than using my 2-car garage as a holding tank until I get a "dumpster's worth" of crap to throw away.
While people are put off by "Uber for X", sometimes it just makes sense, and makes people's lives better.
[+] [-] sputknick|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] CobrastanJorji|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] newobj|8 years ago|reply
Genius guy that grandpa, as he was also a pig farmer, and the pigs loved to eat garbage...
[+] [-] whatnotests|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] olegkikin|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jeddawson|8 years ago|reply
It's a double edged sword for sure. I'd love to see more open and creative competition in the industry, but since disposal and transportation costs make up such a huge % of a hauler's expenses there will certainly be corrupt entities dumping waste in a canyon somewhere just outside of your community.
Tracking the waste from source to destination accurately and in a way that people can truly trust will certainly be a key to success here. It's worth noting that it is still very likely that some contracted and "compliant" haulers are doing things with your waste that they shouldn't. So that's another place that a start up could potentially differentiate themselves.
[+] [-] akgerber|8 years ago|reply
Then this driver drove the wrong way down the road in order to a get a bit closer to a load of garbage without having to go around the block.
It's a business that externalizes its costs by driving dangerously and killing people: http://nyc.streetsblog.org/2010/07/13/see-a-pattern-of-deadl...
[+] [-] BillSaysThis|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jelder|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] fnord123|8 years ago|reply
http://www.parkopedia.com/
[+] [-] xkcd-sucks|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] OliverJones|8 years ago|reply
Uber drivers seem to go for it, but not without grumbling.
[+] [-] yitchelle|8 years ago|reply
https://gimletmedia.com/episode/industrial-organic-s02-ep03/