City of Dubuque Resumes Delivery of Tipper Carts

JULY 28, 2023

City of Dubuque Public Works employees this week resumed delivery of the new trash collection “tipper carts” being adopted by the City. 

The new round of deliveries will provide 35-gallon carts to all Thursday route customers who have not received their new carts. Crews will then continue the 35-gallon rollout to Friday route customers.

As shipments of the larger trash carts (which have capacities of 48, 64, or 96 gallons) and recycling carts arrive, crews will begin to deliver those carts to customers who had previously requested them. All deliveries are anticipated to be complete by October 1.

Implementation of the new trash collection carts began in the fall of 2022. Roughly 3,000 of the new carts are set to be delivered between now and October 1 to complete the rollout. These “tipper carts” are meant to improve the safety and efficiency of weekly collections.

The new carts can hold up to 35 gallons of trash, though larger cart options are available by request through the City’s website. Public Works employees utilize a specially made collection truck that uses mechanical arms to grab the carts, lift them over the trucks’ storage area, and “tip” the carts so the trash contained inside falls into the truck. This new process will eliminate the need for Public Works employees to physically lift and empty the trash containers.

In order to maximize the efficiency of the new collection system, curbside collection customers are encouraged to:

• Place the cart at their curb or alley by 6:00 a.m. on collection day,
• Use the arrows on the cart lid to ensure the cart is facing the correct direction,
• Place the cart two feet away from other containers and objects like trees, poles, parked cars, and mailboxes,
• Be sure that all the trash inside the cart is bagged,
• Do not overfill the cart. The lid of the cart must be able to fully close for the automated arms to work properly.

 Curbside collection customers receiving the new 35-gallon carts will not see an increase in their current collection rates, though the larger carts (with 48, 64, and 96 gallon capacities) do cost more per month. Residents do not need to contact the City to request a 35-gallon cart. Larger sized carts and tipper carts designed for recycling can be requested through the Public Works Department.

 For more information, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/curbsidecollection or call 563-589-4250.

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Media Contact:
Jake Jensen, Resource Management Supervisor
563-589-4250 | JJansen@cityofdubuque.org