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Sunday, September 30, 2001
New trash service begins
City of Corpus Christi launches campaign to tell 34,000 homes
By Neal Falgoust
Caller-Times

David Adame/Caller-Times

Juan Vasquez trains on a new McNeilus 28-cubic-yard side-loading garbage packer at the city sanitation center. The training is preparing workers to provide new services to 34,000 homes along 13 automated trash routes.

   "Dear Corpus Christi Resident," the letter begins. "Today you have received a new automated garbage cart from the City of Corpus Christi Department of Solid Waste Services."
   Such letters, and the new 96-gallon garbage cans, have begun to go out to about 34,000 homes along 13 new automated trash routes throughout the city.
   It is part of a $21,000 campaign mounted by the city to inform residents about changes in garbage collection that will take place during the next month.
   City officials designed the advertising campaign around mail-out fliers, letters, door hangers and post cards to notify residents about the change in garbage services, which will be in areas across the city by the beginning of November.
   Solid Waste Director Jeff Kaplan also designed a new logo using the city's official flower - the hibiscus -to create a friendlier image for the department. The logo will be placed on all of the trucks, trashcans and letters sent out by the department.
   "I wanted to present an environment-friendly image for solid waste," Kaplan said. "You want to get program identification."

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   The big green plastic carts, which are emblazoned with the city's seal and the waste department's new Hibiscus logo, will be picked up by a fleet of new trucks equipped with a robotic arm controlled by the driver.
   For much of the past month, workers have spent their afternoons maneuvering the massive trucks through an obstacle course and operating the robotic arm along simulated routes at the truck yard. They will continue training during the next month along the city's streets.
   City employees also will conduct training for residents who want to know more about the new program at community events throughout the city.
   City spokesman Ted Nelson said the public information campaign was designed to saturate the city with targeted information. Garbage collection days will change along some routes and remain the same along others.
   "The goal is to inform people as best we can," Nelson said. "We will take whatever measures we have to do to make sure people are informed."
   Kelly Quintanilla, chairwoman of the communications department at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, said the city would need to saturate residents with information about the new program for it to be successful.
   She said that would include newspaper and television advertising and direct mailing efforts.
   She said the public relations campaign mounted by the city, which included the techniques she described, sounded like an effective plan.
   Some people don't read their mail, and others don't read the newspaper, she said. So relying on one form of traditional media would not reach the most people.
   "You want them to be there, but you can't rely on them solely," she said. "They are doing redundancy."


Contact Neal Falgoust at 886-4334 or falgoustn@caller.com

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