Odessa Makes the Switch: From Dumpsters to Rolling Bins

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) – According to Mayor Cal Hendrick, Odessa is one of the last Texas cities to make the switch from dumpsters to roll-out carts. City leaders believe the transition will improve efficiency and overall service. Other Texas cities that have already made the switch report that it’s faster, cleaner, and safer.

“I know it’s maybe not what you want, but it’ll actually be ready for our city, and therefore it’s the right solution,“ said Cal Hendrick, Mayor of Odessa.

This decision comes after years of equipment shortages. Under the previous city administration, the city stopped purchasing new trash trucks—which led to staffing and service issues.

For the past two years, the Solid Waste Department has faced major challenges due to the truck shortage, resulting in missed pickups, trash pileups, and widespread complaints.

Tackling Illegal Dumping

City officials say the new rollout program could help reduce illegal dumping, a growing concern in many neighborhoods.

“You have a lot of renters who are not courteous to their neighbors. When we go out to investigate these locations that they’re saying haven’t been serviced in two or three weeks… We’re definitely servicing at least once a week, but we look and there’s a mattress at the bottom—pallets, landscaping, tree limbs—it’s becoming a huge issue,” said Jathan Escontrias, Operations Manager for the City of Odessa.

Roll-out bins are individually managed and not shared among residents, which helps keep them cleaner and easier to maintain.

“They stay stationary forever until we change it out or somebody goes and cleans it—pour Clorox in it or something. As opposed to the roll-out carts—it’s your cart, you maintain it, and you take care of it,” said Escontrias.

Equipment Upgrades & Truck Availability

A major factor behind the shift is the type of trucks used.Odessa’s side-loader trucks—which serve alleys—are no longer commonly manufactured and frequently break down due to wear and tear.

“It’s not really a money issue. You can have all the money in the world, but we’re at the mercy of the manufacturers to get these trucks to us,” said Escontrias.

Meanwhile, front-loader trucks—used for curbside pickup—are more readily available and faster to put into service.

“We ordered automated trucks just a few months ago, and they’re already here. We have them in service,” said Escontrias.

What to Expect as a Resident

Residents will need to roll their bins to the curb twice a week.The city says roll-out bins are cheaper to purchase than dumpsters, and if the city damages your bin, they’ll replace it for free.

How long will this transition take?

“It’s going to take years, quite frankly. It’s probably 5 to 10 years before all of the dumpsters are gone and we’re just using rollouts,” said Mayor Hendrick.

Trash service costs just over $22 a month, and if you need more capacity, each additional bin is $8 per month—with a maximum of three bins per household.

The city also recommends:

Bagging your trash
Keeping the lid fully closed
Placing bins at the painted curb line(to avoid missed pickups or potential code violations)

Elderly and ADA residents may qualify for special accommodations.If you forget to roll your bin out in time, crews say they’ll try to work with you and return when possible.

“I understand that some people may not like it and they’re going to prefer the dumpster. They’re always gonna hate it—and we understand we can’t make everybody happy. But I know in our department we’re going to do everything we can to make sure we’re running efficiently and doing everything we can to make these residents happy,” said Escontrias.