Route Supervisor / Crew Lead

You went from riding on the back of the truck to managing the crews that ride on the back of the truck. You're responsible for 5-10 routes, which means you handle driver assignments, route efficiency, customer complaints about missed pickups, and the inevitable 'why is there a couch on the curb and nobody took it' calls from residents. You still know every pothole on every route, but now you drive a pickup truck with a clipboard instead of hanging off the back of a garbage truck at dawn.

What you'll actually do

• 01Manage 5-10 collection routes and reassign crews when drivers call out (every Monday)
• 02Handle resident complaints about missed pickups, damaged cans, and unauthorized dumping
• 03Drive the route in a pickup to inspect crew performance and route efficiency
• 04Coordinate with maintenance to keep aging trucks running one more season
• 05Process overtime requests and explain the budget variance to the district manager
• 06Investigate worker injury reports — because this is one of the most dangerous jobs in America

Career Path

Where this role sits in the bigger picture — and where it can take you.