Waste Pro hiring event successful as trash situation in Cape Coral improves

Trash filling the streets of Cape Coral appears to be disappearing.

New numbers released by the city prove that.

The 311 Action Center said it got more than 900 phone calls about Waste Pro missing a pickup.

And that number topped nearly 1,200 last month.

The number of calls to the center have gone down drastically because Waste Pro has had luck hiring more drivers.

On Tuesday, more than 50 people showed up for a Waste Pro hiring event.

“We already had about a dozen or so people and we haven’t even started yet,” said Bill Jones, division manager for Waste Pro.

Having people trying to get in early to the hiring event is fantastic, Jones added.

For weeks, Waste Pro struggled to hire drivers which means it couldn’t keep up with the garbage schedule in Cape Coral.

“Last week we hired four and this week it looks like we have another four that are coming on board,” Jones said.

Derrick Sapp said he hopes he is one of those hires.

A father of 14, Sapp said working early would be great for his family.

“It would actually mean a lot because then it helps me become more flexible,” Sapp said. “When they play sports I’ll be able to make it to their games and I’ll be able to start practicing with them so it means a lot. It would mean a lot.”

The city helped Waste Pro with yard collection but that has since changed.

“Our yard waste crew is now back on schedule so they’re no longer helping with that.”

Waste Pro is still using subcontractors to help with bulk collection.

The company hopes to be back on schedule in a few weeks.