Congratulations to Large Container Driver Rocco T. in Durham, NC, on celebrating his 25th anniversary with Republic Services this week. In recognition of his milestone anniversary, Rocco took his brand-new roll-off truck out on the streets for the first time (see his big smile in the photo above)!
Rocco’s father, Nicholas, started his own trash business in the 1950s in Queens, NY. Rocco joined the family business out of high school while in his first year of college in 1977. He started on the back of the truck servicing businesses in Queens and Brooklyn. His uncle, Frankie, was the driver. He joined Republic in 1999 when he moved to North Carolina. What he loves most about his job is that every day is a new experience. “I am all about going above and beyond for each customer. I enjoy being efficient while looking for opportunities to better service our customers. I love getting to know each customer,” Rocco says.
We also wanted to know how Rocco keep safety his No. 1 priority. Here’s what he says: “I always wear my seatbelt. Utilize Smith System techniques constantly. When arriving to service a customer location, I check my surroundings for dangers.”
His words of wisdom for drivers just starting out in the business are straight-forward: “A driver has to think outside the box, always expect the unexpected, never becoming complacent. No matter how many years of experience you have, always follow the basics – get out and look, check straps, hydraulic lines, etc. And, if you get distracted while on a customer site, stop and reset!