INDIANAPOLIS — Bryan Paris’ trash is piling up after the holidays.
“The heaviest week of the year, probably, for pick up," the Brownsburg resident said.
The 35 year Ray’s Trash Service customer says it’s been over a week since his trash was supposed to be picked up.
“One big bag of gift wrapping, then we got the boxes from when we had the shipments come in, and then the general trash," Paris said.
There are similar piles up and down his street.
“There’s stuff blowing all over the place," he said.
Waste Management acquired Ray’s Trash Service in Sept. 2022 and the transition is expected to be compete in early Feb. 2023.
WRTV reached out to Waste Management for comment on the delayed pickups.
A spokesperson said in an email:
“WM remains committed to providing the Indianapolis area with the quality recycling and waste disposal services Ray’s customers have come to expect, and sincerely apologizes for any delay in service as part of the transition.”
But Paris says there’s been a lack of communication from the company.
“They won’t return the phone call. They won’t answer the phone. I’ve been on hold for 30 minutes at a time and finally the phone goes dead," he said.
40 minutes south, Mooresville resident Beth Lybarger’s trash hasn’t been picked up in three weeks.
“The fact that they are not answering their phones, they’re not sending out emails, and not delivering service is where I draw the line," Lybarger said.
Ray’s has been servicing her address since 1965.
Ever since this past summer, she says her service has gone downhill.
“If you’re not gonna pick up our trash, let us know. If you’re not gonna service this area, let us know and quit billing us," she said.
According to Waste Management’s website, a reason for the current delays is the aftermath of Winter Storm Elliott.
You can read their full statement to WRTV here:
"In September, WM purchased key assets of Ray’s Trash Service, the largest independent recycling and waste disposal operation in the Indianapolis area.
As part of this transition, WM has made it a priority to focus on streamlining operations, equipment, technology, and service - to keep safety at the forefront of all that we do, in addition to cultivating a people-first culture.
Safety:
WM has zero tolerance for unsafe actions/conditions - and makes safety a core value without compromise.
A key-area of focus as part of this transition is replacing the existing Ray’s fleet with new, WM assets. Nearly 30% of the fleet was not safe to operate as part of WM’s strict safety standards to ensure employee and community safety. The local team has been working diligently to replace assets, and currently has several rental trucks on the road to help keep service as timely as possible. Currently, 75 trucks are either received or in transit to support the Indianapolis area.
Every WM employee undergoes extensive safety training as part of the onboarding process. This includes traveling to a WM training facility for safety training, and upon return, being placed with a site-designated safety trainer to learn and engage best practices for an additional 4-6 weeks. Following that process, every driver is assigned to a mentor as they continue to learn the WM protocol of safety and service excellence. As part of the acquisition, all former Ray’s Trash Service drivers participated in a mandatory WM onboarding safety training program that included several weeks of training to learn WM safety procedures and processes.
Technology:
In early February of 2023, Ray’s Trash Customers can expect full integration into the WM suite of customer communications, including access to MyWM. Customers will be able to activate an online WM account to view pickup and holiday schedules, manage service, and enroll in AutoPay and Paperless Billing. They will also be able to set communication preferences to receive notifications and service alerts via email, text, or phone.
From an operations perspective, all Ray’s/WM trucks will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology that provides GPS tracking and instant routing notifications to ensure safe and timely service. WM encourages all former Ray’s Trash Service customers to visit https://www.wm.com/us/en/rays-trash [wm.com] to learn more about WM and what they can expect in the coming months.
A People-First Focus:
The WM team has made it a priority to refresh Ray’s Trash Service facilities and provide essential/critical safety equipment and WM gear to Ray’s Trash Service employees that have joined the WM community.
As part of this transition, newly welcomed Ray’s Trash Service employees (now WM team members) now have access to WM’s Your Tomorrow benefit. Your Tomorrow is offered in collaboration with Guild Education, a first of its kind program that provides WM employees, as well as their eligible dependents, the opportunity to choose from a full range of education options, including earning a college degree, at no cost to the employee."
