An essential role in our collective well-being
Some professions are, unfortunately, the victims of severe prejudice, because they are often unknown to the public. Such is the case of our heavy vehicle drivers, Ricova’s driving force behind the wheel of our fleet of over 135 trucks, which are used every week to collect our community’s recyclables and waste. It is thanks to their hard work, driving across multiple municipalities in the same day, that we are able to conveniently leave our bins by the street to find them empty at the end of the day every week of the year.
Although their work is greatly appreciated, few people ask the question of what would we do without them?
An indispensable profession
These men and women work outdoors no matter the conditions – summer, winter, rain, or shine. They travel the streets to carry out their runs, sometimes under difficult conditions. They are accompanied by assistant refuse collectors, who can cover several hundred of kilometers on foot in a year, while collecting dozens of tons of waste and objects every week, so they need to be in very good physical shape.
Beyond the sometimes-darker sides, they are passionate team players working in a profession that is essential to our collective well-being. Without them, our communities would certainly not be the same.
Ricova hard at work
However, recruiting drivers and assistant drivers is a constant challenge for Ricova and all waste collection companies across the province. Aware of the significant impact of the driver shortage affecting the overall industry, Ricova is working hard to ensure that the difficulties in recruitment have as little impact as possible on its collection services. We are constantly measuring ourselves against the market to retain our employees to maintain our high standard of services ; we offer competitive, comprehensive, and highly flexible human resources management strategies, including good work-life balance practices and a comprehensive insurance plan. We even offer a bonus to a teammate who recommends a driver to us.
Social responsibility
Have you ever wondered what a city would be like without its waste management teams? Contrary to popular belief, the role of a waste management team does not stop at driving a truck or picking up materials to be sent to a landfill or sorting center. There is also the sense of social responsibility: to keep our streets and living spaces clean, while participating in the efficient classification of materials and, when possible, recycling them. Their mission goes beyond driving a heavy vehicle.
Workers must, of course, be properly trained so that they are fully aware of the risks involved in their work as a preventative measure. That’s why Ricova offers, among other things, a friendly and respectful environment, one of the most sought-after in Quebec.
Keep an eye on our blog and social networks, where we regularly share tips to support the work of these essential workers: from the type of materials you put in your bins, to simple gestures like making sure, in winter, that the driver can easily pick up your bin using the mechanized arm, when there’s heavy snowfall.
To find out more or to apply for a position as a heavy vehicle driver, we invite you to consult the Careers page of our website.
