Understanding Scheduling and ETAS In The Roll Off Dumpster Rental Industry

When the weather gets warmer, the roll off dumpster rental business starts getting busy. Unless you are a contractor who uses roll off dumpsters all the time, you probably don't know what to expect, or how the process works. Thankfully, it's very straightforward - you tell us where to place it, it's dropped off and then picked up when you fill it. Simple, right? However, what most people don't know, or don't realize, is how the scheduling works. In this article, we want to clarify what dumpster rental customers should expect when it comes to when a dumpster is delivered or picked up, especially during the busiest summer months. The main thing to remember is you are talking about truck companies here, which means potential problems on the route, which means constantly shifting timetables. Many people think a dumpster rental comes on a specific day at a specific time, but it's not like making an appointment with an HVAC contractor or a cable technician. In the roll off business, the routes are so booked out that if something happens to one truck on one route, it can impact many other routes as the company works to compensate and cover for whatever happened. This happens very often, and below we will cover 3 things you should expect when you rent a dumpster.

1. Don't Expect Tight Delivery Windows

When routing large trucks, customers should keep in mind that there are multiple things that can impact and change the route for any given day, unlike in many other businesses. Some examples are traffic problems or accidents, landfill delays, jobsite delays, truck break downs, flat tires, and more, Any one of these things can cause a route to be delayed, which pushes out the delivery time for many customers. This is the main reason why a tight delivery window is difficult to achieve in the roll off dumpster rental business. It can be accomplished when it is not as busy, and there is a surplus of dumpsters in inventory, but this is not typically the case in summer months in most areas. At Trash Daddy Dumpsters, we tell our customers that the dumpster can arrive at any time of the day in order to allow for the routing flexibility needed to cover any potential issues.

2. Warmer Weather Means More Delays

Warmer weather in the dumpster rental business means more construction being done, which means dumpster rentals are harder to come by and scheduled further out. At Trash Daddy Dumpsters, we are normally able to deliver the next day, but in the summer, that can extend to 2 or 3 days, or more. This goes back to less dumpsters available and any potential problems on the routes as mentioned above. All haulers cycle through their inventory while trying to manage the daily routes, and any problem on the routes pushes the schedule further out, which causes delays.

3. Do Not Expect Frequent ETAs

Often times a customer's first instinct is to call and ask when the dumpster will arrive. While that is completely understandable, we advise customers not to expect frequent ETAs (estimated time of arrival). The reason for this is because a roll off dumpster company's dispatch department is busy all day juggling routes and trying to make sure all deliveries happen as timely as possible. It's very difficult to stop what they are doing and try to estimate an arrival time for multiple customers at all different times during the day. Some haulers have a more sophisticated system that allows them to estimate the delivery time more quickly, but even then the dispatch team has to pause what they are doing and if they are asked to do it often enough, it could cause further delays on the route, which everyone is trying to avoid. The best course of action is to just try to be patient and realize things can happen outside of anyone's control that force the delivery or pickup to be later than anticipated or planned.

Conclusion

The roll off dumpster rental business can be frustrating if you have experienced a delay with your delivery or pickup. While most deliveries occur when they are supposed to, this is not a business where you can narrow it down to a specific time. As a customer if you know what to expect, it can help ease some of those frustrations. If you don't expect a tight delivery window, understand that warmer weather brings the potential for more delays, and if you don't expect frequent ETAs on your dumpster rental order, for the reasons mentioned in this article, it will make renting a dumpster easier and stress free. Reach out to our expert team at Trash Daddy Dumpsters if you have any questions about how to rent a dumpster or if you are looking for a dumpster rental at an affordable price!