‘Trucky McTruckface’ and friends among Wellington’s latest EV waste trucks

Electric recycling trucks Bin Diesel, Truck Norris, Trucky McTruckface and Recyclosaurus Rex are now on the road making collections in Wellington. 

Bruce Springclean, Trash Gordon and Chitty Chitty Bin Bin are soon to follow.

The electric vehicles are operated by Waste Management as part of a new Hutt City Council kerbside waste and recycling contract which will see the company taking on the region’s waste until 2029.

To promote recycling in the community, Hutt City Council asked the public to submit names for each of the trucks, then put it to a final vote via Facebook where the names were recently announced. 

Waste Management’s Wellington EV fleet is now on par with Auckland’s and once the three extra vehicles arrive, the city will have the company’s largest EV fleet in the country. 

The new Hutt City contract is described as a “massive undertaking” which involves general waste wheelie bins, mixed recycling wheelie bins, (opt-in) garden waste wheelie bins and glass recycling crates being delivered to around 40,000 households in the region.

Waste Management Wellington regional manager Sarah Whiteman says she couldn’t be prouder of her team who have worked long hours with a great attitude to ensure a successful start to the contract on July 1. 

“This has been a journey of epic proportions,” she says. 

“We have achieved as a wider Waste Management team something to be extremely proud of… the bar has been set high and all eyes are on us, but I am confident that we have the right team to not only meet, but exceed those expectations.”