For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Ron Pecora
Chief Marketing Officer
407-937-2653
rpecora@wasteprousa.com
GAUTIER, MS – July 26, 2019 – Nelson Ross, known to his colleagues as “Superman,” says garbage runs through his blood.
“Ever since I was a little boy, I used to look outside the door, see the garbage truck on the road, and I was just amazed by it.”
Ross has been in the industry for 25 years, beginning his career right out of school. The Lake City, FL native first worked with Waste Management, then moved to Mississippi in 2005 and began his career with Waste Pro’s Gautier Division shortly after.
Ross has won Waste Pro’s coveted $10,000 Safety Award two times in his career with Waste Pro. He attributes that to tricks he’s taught himself to stay safe behind the wheel, like designing his routes to make every turn safe for himself and his helper.
However, the dangers of the jobs aren’t lost on him, and he makes it a point to warn newcomers to make sure they’re cut out for the challenging tasks they may encounter.
“Being a garbage man is one of the most dangerous things in the world. It’s dangerous around you all the time. People fly around the trucks,” Ross says. “It’s got some good points to it too, but you’ve got to be safe. The main thing is to get the job done and make it home safe to your family.”
The people who live along Ross’s routes have come to know him and expect nothing but the best service from him, whether he’s helping residents in an elderly community with their cans or assisting in missed pickups after he’s already headed home for the day.
“Even after I leave work, if I get a call saying we got a garbage stop, I’ll pick it up and put it in my personal car, drive it home, and put it in my can. That’s how dedicated I am,” Ross says.
They’ve also come to know him personally. Ross has watched children along his routes grow up – many of whom have told him he’s inspired them to become garbage truck drivers – and has even had people approach him with emotional thank-yous.
“I’ve had people walk up to me in tears saying they’ve never had this kind of service. I tell people it can be done, and I’m the one who can take it to a level where you know it will be done. Because without these people, we wouldn’t be here. The customer is the most important thing.”
Ross’s reliability hasn’t gone unnoticed. His nickname, Superman, was given to him by his colleagues because he responds to any service issues before dispatch even sends out alerts.
“It’s always nice to know that you have people that work with you that, if you say, ‘I have an issue that needs to be taken care of,’ I don’t need to instruct him how to do it, when to do it, or have him follow up with me when it’s done,” says Gautier Division Manager John Geboy.
For Ross, it’s simply a matter of being motivated by challenge and staying positive.
“I’m the type of man where everything I do, I do to the fullest of my heart,” Ross says.
When he isn’t on his route, Ross is busy at home with his two teenagers and his oldest stepdaughter, who recently had a baby. In addition, he spends a lot of time reading the Bible, and he likes to cook, mow the yard, and – of course – take out the trash.
About Waste Pro USA
Waste Pro USA, Inc. is one of the country’s fastest growing privately-owned waste collection, recycling, processing and disposal companies, operating in ten southeastern states. Waste Pro, with revenues exceeding $700 million, serves more than two million residential and 40,000 commercial customers from over 75 operating locations. Waste Pro is headquartered in Longwood, Florida, and maintains more than 270 exclusive municipal contracts and franchises.