Trash & Recycling Driver

City of Durango; Durango (CO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off and holidays

Retirement plan

Life insurance and AD&D

FMLA

Wellness program

Transit pass discounts

Job summary

The City of Durango is seeking a Trash & Recycling Driver to support the community with dependable waste and recycling services. You’ll operate a range of equipment and perform preventive maintenance while following safety practices.

Minimum qualifications include a high school diploma or GED and two years’ maintenance experience; a Class B CDL is preferred and the City can assist with CDL acquisition for qualified applicants. This is a full-time, on-site role with excellent benefits.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• Two years of maintenance experience involving operation of light to moderate construction and/or trash collection equipment.
• Ability to maintain a valid Class B Commercial Driver's License (CDL) during employment.

Responsibilities

• Operate recycling and trash equipment, including front- and side-load trucks, balers, and conveyors.
• Perform preventive maintenance on heavy and light equipment.
• Maintain production logs and records, and identify customer equipment needs.
• Inspect, sort, and process incoming recyclable materials and handle payments.
• Ensure safe operation through pre- and post-trip inspections and cleaning.

Skills

Maintenance experience

Customer service

Safety-conscious

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

CDL-B encouraged

Job description

Join the City of Durango’s Recycling Collection Division as a Trash & Recycling Driver and help support the community’s waste and recycling services. In this role, you’ll operate recycling and trash equipment, including front- and side-load collection vehicles, balers, and material conveyors. Safety is central to our work, and you’ll play an important role in inspecting equipment, performing minor maintenance, and following established safety practices. Under the general guidance of the Solid Waste Supervisor, you’ll represent the department in the community, providing dependable service and friendly customer support.

• If you don’t currently have a CDL, we encourage you to apply if you meet the minimum experience requirements—the City can support qualified candidates in obtaining their Class B CDL.

City of Durango’s Trail to Excellence

The City of Durango is a purpose-driven organization with more than 400 full-time and 300 part-time and seasonal employees across 15 departments, all working together to provide a wide range of services that keep our community running every day. From public safety and utilities to parks and recreation, our team is dedicated to delivering high-quality services that enhance the lives of all who live, work, and visit here.

At the city, we focus on continually improving how we work and serve the community. This effort is called the Trail to Excellence (T2E), and every employee plays a part in it. Whether you work outdoors, in an office, or lead a team, your daily efforts connect to the city’s mission of providing excellent service and reaching the city’s vision of being a multigenerational community that is authentic, diverse, engaged, thriving, and environmentally responsible. The full details of this vision are outlined in the city’s strategic plan.

As a member of our team, your work will be meaningful because:

• Your ideas help shape citywide improvements.
• The work you do ties directly into measurable goals.
• You\'ll be part of a system that values collaboration, innovation, and results.

We\'re looking for team members who share our core values of teamwork, dependability, professionalism, service, respect, innovation, and wellbeing — and who are excited to make a difference in the community we serve.

Essential Job Duties

What You’ll Do in This Role:

• Operate a variety of recycling and trash equipment, including front- and side-load collection trucks, skip loaders, front-end loaders, Bobcat attachments, forklifts, fork trucks, balers, and material conveyors.
• Perform preventive maintenance on both heavy and light equipment.
• Maintain production logs and records and identify customer equipment needs.
• Handle, inspect, and sort incoming recyclable materials, and process payments.
• Ensure safe equipment operation through pre- and post-trip inspections, minor maintenance, and regular cleaning.
• Clear ice and snow from roadways and alleys.
• Follow established safety practices and procedures during all work activities.

Minimum Qualifications

You Have:

• A high school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Two years of maintenance experience involving the operation of light to moderate construction and/or trash collection equipment.
• The ability to maintain a valid Class B Commercial Driver\'s License (CDL) during employment.

You Will Succeed in This Role If You:

• Provide friendly, reliable, and professional customer service.
• Are familiar with the layout of Durango’s streets and neighborhoods.
• Bring experience performing a variety of semi-skilled maintenance and janitorial tasks.

Supplemental Information

What We Can Offer You

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Ample personal time off (PTO) and 11 paid holidays.
• 401(a) retirement plan and optional deferred compensation plan.
• Basic life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) coverage.
• Long-term disability coverage.
• Paid Family and Medical Leave (FMLA).
• Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Free access to the Durango Community Recreation Center and Chapman Hill Ice Rink & Ski Area.
• Holistic Employee Wellness Program, addressing physical, mental, financial, and professional well-being.
• Free transit pass and family member discounts.
• Reimbursement for job-related classes to foster continuous learning.
• Sixteen hours of volunteer time off per year to support local non-profit organizations.

To view the full Trash & Recycling Driver (Solid Waster Operator II) job description, click here.

Belong At The City Of Durango

We believe in creating an inclusive workforce that welcomes diversity of thoughts, viewpoints, and experiences.

The City of Durango is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis age 40 and over, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other applicable status protected by state or local law. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job-related factors.

City of Durango\'s Indigenous Land Acknowledgement