LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — It's a subject that stinks: solid waste management, also known as trash pick up.
It's a high-interest topic, especially in Little Rock, where some residents have wondered why pick-ups at their houses have been running late.
We looked into the issue and found that four Little Rock garbage trucks have caught fire in the past year, destroying the vehicles.
"It wasn't stuff that had been put in the back of the truck from garbage that caught fire; it was more of a mechanical issue with the truck," Little Rock Public Works Director John Honeywell said.
Just last week, the latest garbage truck spontaneously caught fire, adding to the strain on the department.
"That does put us down when we are at a point right now when we are working on a thin margin with the number of trucks we have available," Honeywell said.
On Tuesday, Little Rock directors approved $2 million to add five new trucks to the fleet.
Currently, the department has 52 trucks for 19 routes, but not all trucks are the same. When a few trucks are out of service, that can mean delayed pick-up times.
The trucks are also operating past their expected lifespan.
A truck typically lasts about five years, but Honeywell said the trucks are running between five and eight years. He hopes they can get back to a schedule where they can purchase new trucks every half decade as needed.
"We want the public to understand that if we do get behind, we are doing everything we can, working overtime [and] on weekends when possible," Honeywell said.
Honeywell expects the newest trucks to arrive in Little Rock within a few months.