FOLEY – Two new garbage trucks will help Foley expand garbage collection services to include a fifth residential route later this year.

The city will buy two side-loading collection trucks, each with a capacity of 31 cubic yards. The trucks are scheduled to be delivered in 12 to 14 months.

The Foley City Council voted Monday, June 17, to send a letter of intent to the Samsom Equipment Company of Mobile stating that the city intends to buy the vehicles.

Darrell Russell, Foley Public Works director, said the trucks should be delivered in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. He said one of the trucks will be a replacement for a vehicle now in service and the other truck will be an addition to the fleet.

The purchases are in addition to two garbage trucks that the city agreed to buy in October 2023. Russell said one of those trucks, a commercial collection vehicle, has been delivered. A second truck, which will be used for residential collections, is scheduled to arrive later this year.

Russell said the trucks ordered in 2023 and 2024 are of similar designs, which will make maintenance easier for city crews.

Russell said public works officials are also interviewing candidates for positions needed to expand collection services. 

He said that with the additional trucks and employees, a fifth residential garbage collection route is scheduled to be added in Foley later this year.