The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) awarded Recology South Valley refuse collector Salvador Plascencia “Honorable Mention” in the highly competitive Driver of the Year contest.
Plascencia was one of the 22 drivers recognized in the national competition. NWRA received more than 800 applications from refuse companies representing nearly 80,000 commercial and residential collection routes.
Plascencia has worked in the refuse industry for 23 years and drives a front-end loader and an 18-wheel transfer truck.
“Sal always has a smile on his face and is happy to be driving a truck,” Recology South Valley General Manager Mike Kelly said. “You can see it in the way Sal treats his customers as well as how he interacts with his co-workers.
“He understands that continually doing the little things—replacing a container back where it was when he arrived or making sure the gate is closed and locked on the enclosure—make a big difference for his customers.”
Plascencia’s commitment to going the extra mile is routinely on display annually at community events where Recology services bins, the company stated in a press release. When returning from disposal runs, Plascencia gets out of his vehicle to help event staff move waste into the proper containers.
Tim Davis, executive director of the South County Compassion Center, and several other area residents wrote letters of recommendation to the NWRA in support of Plascencia.
“Our container is always replaced by the enclosure with the doors secured after servicing. On many occasions, messes may be found in and around the bin or obstacles may be placed in front of the bin prior to Sal’s arrival,” Davis wrote. “Sal will get out of his truck and move these obstacles and clean up these messes to ensure our bins are serviced.”
The NWRA honors refuse-collection drivers from national and regional companies who exemplify outstanding customer service, road safety and job performance.
