Is it easy to drive a garbage truck? The best driver of Spetskommunavtotrans - about the intricacies of work

The best driver of the garbage truck SE "Spetskommunavtotrans" Dmitry Latysh - about the way to the profession and working days.

Dmitry has long moved to Minsk from the village of Mileiki (current agro-town in the Ivatsevichi district of the Brest region). He said with a smile that his first profession was a cook. But after graduation, he did not work in the specialty for a day. According to the distribution, he was sent to the collective farm, where ... for two years he twisted the ZIL-130 ram. But the acquired culinary skills were very useful in everyday life, and the experience of driving the most massive truck of the USSR determined the further work path.

On the streets of the capital

In 2008, the young man went to Minsk and settled in trolleybus park No. 2. For eight years he rode the streets of the city. Then, on the advice of friends, he came to Spetskommunavtotrans.

- I wanted to find something calmer, explains D. Latysh. - Management of the garbage truck - he was with a side load - mastered quickly: literally two days he traveled with a mentor, and on the third he already went on his first route. A couple of years later, he moved to a car with a rear load - more overall, modern, with a good view. I know it to the last detail, minor repairs on the way, if necessary, I do myself.

The driver leaves the line at seven in the morning. But the working day begins earlier: you need to undergo a medical examination, assess the readiness of the car for a multi-kilometer run, get a travel document.

Dmitry helps maintain cleanliness in Chizhovka. During the shift, it loads about 150 containers, mainly installed at the sites, and takes about 170 cubic meters of municipal solid waste to the sorting plant. Two flights are required for this. If you still pick up bulky garbage, make a third flight. Works in tandem with a loader who rolls containers to the right place for capturing by a tipper. Large waste is transferred together. He says that they can throw away anything – an old wardrobe, a refrigerator, and construction waste after repair, which apartment owners must take out themselves or order a service in specialized organizations. But that's not the main problem.

Risk factor

Every year there are more and more cars in the yards, the garbage truck driver notes:

- For the ninth year I come to the same yards and see firsthand how the picture changes. To the vehicles of tenants, tenants are added taxis, car sharing cars. There is a growing number of young people who have their own cars. For them, the yard is a convenient free parking. And if car owners with experience still try not to put “swallows” on the approaches to the container area or on the passages from residential buildings, others often neglect such nuances. The same applies to a common situation when the car moves towards a narrow yard passage. As you know, the person who needs to overcome a shorter distance to miss another car, especially if it is a large garbage truck, takes back. But sometimes, stand, honk. Gets to curiosities. Once the girl looked out of the window of her luxury car and said that she simply does not know such a maneuver as backing up

For Dmitry, another maneuver has long been a familiar ritual - when he drives a few centimeters from a parked car. And if in summer you can still drive a wheel on the curb of the sidewalk, then in winter it is slippery, and it is better not to take risks.

The driver pays attention to: the shorter the path to the site, the more chances to remove waste in a timely manner and avoid conflict situations.

- If the passage is hindered by a parked car, you can call the traffic police. But inspectors will take time to identify the owner and contact him. I prefer a simpler way: I turn around and continue on the route, and later return to this yard. The working day can end at 16 and 17 hours, says Dmitry.

It is noteworthy that during the years of work in Spetskommunavtotrans, he had only two accidents: he left small scratches on cars that were parked in yards in violation of the rules.

Participation and victory

D. Latvian took first place in the competition of professional skills “Minsk Master – 2026” among the drivers of the garbage truck. This is his second victory.

One of the conditions of the competition, which was held in June, was the absence of an accident due to the fault of drivers and violations of labor discipline over the past 12 months. The peculiarity of the event is that, in addition to employees of Spetskommunavtotrans, representatives of another specialized organization participated in it for the first time. There were three people in the teams. The contestants passed an exam on knowledge of traffic rules, the device of the car. The practical part of the competitions included a “snake” in the rear and front, entry into the box with a precise stop, extinguishing a conditional fire, loading containers using a tipper, diagonal parking and overall drive, stopping at the bar with an accuracy of a centimeter.

- There was almost no excitement: we have to do all the exam tasks every day on our routes. Participants are experienced drivers. Honestly, I did not expect that I will be the winner, – said Dmitry, who, by the way, in 2024 at a similar competition also took 1st place.

Dear Minsk residents and guests of the capital!

On behalf of the staff of the largest municipal waste disposal enterprise in the capital, I cordially congratulate you on City Day!

Minsk has always been a standard of cleanliness - from central squares and avenues to yard areas in residential neighborhoods. For the upcoming celebrations, he became even more beautiful. Along with city services, employees of the enterprise "Spetskommunavtotrans" make their contribution to maintaining order and festive atmosphere. They will work in the coming days, when mass events will be held in different parts of the capital.

We wish you excellent mood, peace, kindness, good health, well-being, pure thoughts and success in all endeavors!

Andrey Hvin, Director of Spetskommunavtotrans

Photo by Sergei Pozhi