Denver is changing its trash, recycling and compost schedules beginning next year as a result of a driver shortage, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure announced this week. 

The city will move from a five-day schedule to four and will have 70% of residents place their bins outside on a different day of the week.

This is the first time in more than 15 years the city has made a significant change to its collection schedule, said Adam Phipps, the transportation department’s interim director.

“In response to a national problem, we’re implementing a Denver solution to maintain the high levels of service our customers are used to receiving,” Phipps said. “Our approach involves two asks: we’ll ask our operators to drive new routes next year and 70% of our customers to set out their bins on a different day of the week.”

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Collections will switch to Monday through Thursday beginning Jan. 3. Friday will be used to catch up on work, address illegal dumping complaints and perform holiday pickups, officials said. 

Reducing the collection schedule by one day will result in 62,000 fewer miles per truck annually, according to the transportation department.

Officials said despite being short 30 drivers, the agency has kept up with collections as less than 1% of all pickups have been missed. However, the shortage has required an increased amount of overtime and weekend work.

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The transportation department is offering a $2,500 signing bonus to new drivers in an attempt to fill the vacant positions. 

Residents should be on the lookout for next month’s WasteWise newsletter that will confirm each household’s collection date. Additionally, the city’s 2022 collection calendar will be available in early December at denvergov.org/reroute.