Keep on Truckin’
by Charlotte Skipper
When you see a Waste Pro garbage truck rolling down your street, the history of the vehicles is probably not the first thing that comes to mind.
However, that might change if you visit the Waste Pro Historical Foundation Museum – an enormous facility in Sanford that includes more than 40 waste collection trucks, hundreds of garbage-related books, and a dedicated museum curator named Scott Collier.
This first-of-its-kind museum opened nearly 16 years ago and has found ways to engage every visitor who walks through its doors – from truck-loving kids with curious minds to adults who appreciate history. The museum includes everything from memorabilia to street sweeper replicas to century-old garbage vehicles that sit next to modern day graffiti-adorned trucks.
“Initially, we started off with the idea of it being purely a truck museum,” says Scott. “But I quickly realized our history really goes back way before the trucks even existed.”
From Trash to Treasure
This quirky collection began when Waste Pro founder John Jennings restored a 1926 GMC flatbed truck, the same type that his father Michael worked on in the 1930s. The start of every museum tour begins with the history of John’s family and its strong ties to the garbage industry, which makes it clear that the company is about much more than picking up trash.
“Waste Pro has always had such a family-oriented environment for everyone working here,” says Scott, “so it just made sense to highlight John’s own family. “That’s what started the whole business in the first place.”
Even though trash is the museum’s main topic, Scott says his job sometimes feels more like detective work. He spends months scouring databases for information before a new feature is added for display and takes pride in making sure every T is crossed and every I is dotted.
“It’s a very tough subject to research,” says Scott. “It’s hard finding photographs or any kind of historical references, so it’s a lot of word of mouth and photo donations.”
The museum’s variety of exhibits continues to grow, and Scott would like to enhance those offerings by incorporating more technological elements to the displays. He is also branching out by adding garbage truck museums at Waste Pro facilities beyond Sanford. Scott has already opened a satellite museum in Southaven, Mississippi and plans to open another in New Orleans. For visitors, learning about the history of the waste industry and the Jennings family connections to that field can be a fascinating experience.
“John would rather share the museum and share his legacy than try to make a ton more money,” says Scott. “All of us are proud to share his story and proud to work in this industry.”
Tours of the museum take about an hour. To learn more, visit WasteProUSA.com/truck-museum