If you’ve ever worked at a construction site, cleaned up after a storm, or even done some serious spring cleaning, you’ve probably encountered a roll off dumpster. A unique style, this brilliant design has been hard at work for decades. Both waste haulers and customers love the ease of use and flexibility that these trucks and dumpsters provide. At Big Truck Rental, roll off garbage trucks consistently rank as one of our most popular and desirable rentals. Read on, and learn more about the evolution of the roll off garbage truck.
Origin of the Roll-Off Truck
As people started to settle in densely populated cities, the need for organized waste management became quite obvious. Simply throwing refuse in the street or a nearby river wasn’t a long-term solution, and in some cases resulted in squalid and disease-infested living conditions in cities. The first municipal trash pickup was instituted in London in the late 18th century, and other large urban centers quickly followed suit. These first horse-drawn garbage carts were the ancestors of today’s modern designs, including the roll off truck.
The Dempster Dumpster Revolution
Several innovations followed over the years. Motorized trucks replaced horses, which greatly improved capacity and efficiency. Then in 1937, the Dempster brothers patented the Dempster Dumpmaster, which featured the first standardized dumpster design. Needless to say, this was a game-changer. Perfect for commercial routes, these large bins could quickly be emptied into the truck with minimal manual labor. However, the Dempsters saw a need for an even newer design, one that was ideal for customers who needed a larger dumpster. In 1958, the Dempster Dinosaur, what we recognize as the first modern roll off truck, was unveiled.
New Design, New Capabilities
Waste management companies found roll off dumpsters to be well suited for construction sites or remodeling jobs. Workers could fill them at their own rate, and they could be hauled off whenever they reached capacity. Roll offs are also great for storm cleanup or disaster recovery. They’re big enough to hold large branches and other debris. It’s quite common to see them interspersed throughout a neighborhood as residents clean up after a hurricane, tornado, or flood.
If you’re thinking of adding roll off trucks to your fleet, Big Truck Rental can help. Renting is a smart way to test out the market in your area without making a huge financial investment. Garbage truck renting also makes sense for seasonal markets, expanding capacity for disaster relief, or covering your standard routes while your trucks are being maintained. Contact us today and we’ll figure out exactly what your company needs.