Councilman David G. Greenfield is introducing legislation that will ease traffic congestion on our crowded streets by allowing drivers to see where garbage trucks are conducting pickups in real-time, enabling them to avoid getting stuck behind the trucks on their daily commute.

Greenfield’s legislation would require the Department of Sanitation to install GPS tracking devices on its collection trucks and then make available an app that would allow commuters to view the real-time location of trucks in their area.

“Increasing public awareness of where garbage trucks are operating will reduce unnecessary traffic congestion throughout the city,” Greenfield said. “That means faster commutes, fewer headaches, and less noise pollution in our neighborhoods.”

Greenfield has long worked to reduce unnecessary traffic in his district. Earlier this year, he successfully brokered a major deal with the Sanitation Department to alter collection schedules in Boro Park to ease congestion in the morning and make it easier for commuters and school buses to reach their destinations. Now many of the trucks that would pick up garbage in the morning have been rerouted to the evening, clearing up the streets during the busiest times.

“Traffic is a fact of life in New York City, but that doesn’t mean that every traffic jam is unavoidable,” Greenfield said. “We should empower drivers to make smart choices about their route by providing them with as much information as possible. By doing that we will create a safer, cleaner city for all of us to live in.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)