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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Bulky and Abandoned Item Collection Services, Quality Assurance and Digital Service Request System Review
1. Motion to note and file this report and provide staff direction on expanded Bulky and Abandoned Item Collection Services
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for March 24, 2026 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff conducted a review of Glendale’s commercial Franchise Hauler (FH) operations, specifically the quality assurance testing of service request systems, analysis of operational practices, review of franchise audit findings, and evaluation of potential program alternatives. This report summarizes staff’s findings and provides context regarding current service levels, contractual limitations, and potential considerations moving forward.
The review evaluated bulky and abandoned item collection services, service-related charges, and customer service practices. Particular attention was given to differences in service levels between Single Family Residences (SFRs), which receive unlimited City- provided bulky item pickups, Commercial Multi-Family (MFRs) and commercial accounts serviced by FHs, which are limited to four permitted pickups per year under existing franchise agreements.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve a motion to note and file this report and provide staff with direction on the Bulky and Abandoned Item Collection Services.
ANALYSIS
Staff conducted a review of service request systems, operational procedures, franchise performance data, and potential program alternatives.
First, staff undertook a QA/QC test of all digital service request systems for the city and each of the FHs. Phone calls and emails were not included in this review. This was followed by a direct email inquiry to each of the haulers. Staff identified minor 10b2
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deficiencies and areas for improvement, including translation system enhancements, Any concerns found from this effort have been followed up with involved in-house staff and each of the respective haulers.
Also, staff took advantage of a previously planned hauler audit completed by our consultant, R3, to get additional information.
Finally, staff explored different alternatives to the current status quo for bulky collections for both Residential and Commercial services to address the differences between them.
Bulky/Abandoned Metrics and General Observations
Prior to implementation of the commercial franchise program, bulky and abandoned items were collected exclusively by city crews for both residential and commercial accounts, with unlimited bulky item pick-ups. While continued progress can always be made in addressing bulky and abandoned materials in the public right-of-way, staff’s observations indicate that overall street cleanliness has improved since the beginning of the commercial franchise program.
Staff’s findings from the tonnage data tracked for bulky and abandoned item collection support this observation. Between 2017 and 2021, prior to the franchise program, city crews collected an average of 216 tons per month of bulky and abandoned material.
The commercial franchise program began in late November 2021. By 2023, total bulky and abandoned tonnage collected by both FHs and city crews decreased to an average of 181 tons per month. Through 2025, this downward trend continued, with average monthly tonnage declining to 175 tons, or approximately 2,100 tons annually.
This represents a 19% reduction in bulky and abandoned materials collected citywide compared to peak levels under city-only collection, equating to nearly 500 fewer tons of bulky material annually.
Quality Assurance and System Review
Digital Service Request System Review
Staff conducted a quality assurance review of the city’s and each FHs digital service request system by submitting test bulky item requests. Staff also submitted follow-up inquiries directly to each hauler regarding specific concerns raised.
The service request platform on the city’s website was found to be intuitive, clearly organized, and accessible to users. Test requests were submitted using the standard public interface, and staff found that instructions were easy to follow, required fields were clearly identified, and confirmation responses were generated promptly. The MyGlendale platform provides mobile functionality and includes features that assist users in identifying their assigned hauler which is available for city and FH customers.
While the FHs platforms varied in user interface design, all were functional and allowed customers to submit service requests. Minor usability issues identified during testing were communicated to the respective haulers, and each has since addressed those issues. Some examples of the usability issues encountered and corrected were for one 10b3
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of the haulers, the link to the bulky items request from would scroll down directly to bottom of the opening page where “Request a service” form is found. The webpage offers easy to find translation options, but since the link goes directly to the Request for Service form one has to scroll back up to find it. Another hauler had an easy to find translation feature on their webpage, but they didn’t offer an Armenian translation.
Operational Procedures for Bulky and Abandoned Collection Each FH maintains comparable operational procedures for addressing both scheduled bulky pickup and unscheduled abandoned items in their respective zones.
Scheduled bulky item pickups are requested by account holders (property owners or managers) and are typically serviced within a couple of days to a week of the request.
Abandoned items are identified through public reports, route driver observations, or field supervisor inspections and are dispatched for collection through established work order systems.
Collection route drivers are generally unable to remove bulky items encountered during routine collection routes due to equipment limitations which are not suitable for bulky collection. Additionally, because it not only would significantly disrupt the timeliness and thoroughness of their assigned routes. Instead, route drivers document and route their observations to dedicated bulky collection vehicles for efficient batch removal. Each hauler deploys supervisory or roving personnel to regularly inspect (1-2 times per week) service zones and identify abandoned materials. Roving vehicles are responsible for monitoring the entire service zone and documenting abandoned items. These items are entered into the service request system and assigned to dedicated bulky collection vehicles for removal.
Staff found these operational procedures to be professional, structured, and consistent with industry best management practices.
Customer Service
Based on responses received from the FHs through the QA/QC effort, staff found that Glendale’s communication structure is consistent with standard practice used by all four haulers in other jurisdictions they service. In most cases, there is no system that bypasses the City unless a customer contacts the hauler directly.
While some smaller cities serviced by a single exclusive hauler may provide direct links to one hauler’s service platform, Glendale’s structure reflects its size and the presence of four exclusive franchise zones. The city’s website includes a “Who’s My Hauler?” feature, contact information and direct links to each of the four haulers, which staff determined to be an effective way to connect customers with their respective haulers.
In addition, if a FH related service request is received by the City, the Integrated Waste Management Division’s Call Center staff document the request and promptly transfer it to the appropriate hauler for resolution.
Application of Extra Service Fees
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Beyond base collection rates, the franchise agreements authorize additional fees for service outside standard collection. Commercial customers pay based on the frequency, number of containers and size of containers. The franchise agreements also include a list of extra fees for various services beyond regular collection. Staff reviewed whether such fees were being applied inflexibly or without consideration of customer circumstances.
Based on responses and documentation reviewed as part of this QA/QC assessment, staff found that all four FHs generally demonstrated flexibility and acceptable customer service practices in addressing routine service issues, such as blocked bins/carts or late set-outs, before assessing charges. When additional fees are applied, they appear to be consistent with franchise agreements provisions and are typically associated with repeated violations, non-responsiveness, or specialized service requests. 2024 Franchised Haulers Performance Audit
The franchise agreements require periodic performance audit, the first of which was conducted in calendar year 2022. The most recent audit, completed by the consultant group R3 in January 2026 for calendar year 2024, evaluated a range of operational and customer service metrics which coincide with the inquiries addressed in this report.
In the 2024 report, R3 found that, “all four haulers operate competent and professional customer service operations. Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) at all four companies appear to be responsive, courteous, knowledgeable, dedicated, and qualified. CSRs and their managers are held to high expectations, and technology and data tracking systems appear to be sufficient to meet general expectations.” Consideration of Alternatives to Current Bulky Item Programs The difference in bulky item service levels between the city’s SFRs and commercial MFR accounts reflects differences in service delivery models, objectives, and rate structures, rather than unequal treatment of similar customers.
The City directly provides unlimited bulky item collection to SFR customers as a municipal service intended to reduce illegal dumping and maintain neighborhood conditions. Because the city directly manages this program, it retains flexibility in determining service levels.
In contrast, bulky item collection for commercial accounts is provided by private franchise haulers pursuant to the negotiated agreement. Those agreements include service limits that were established to manage cost exposure and discourage misuse of the program for disposal of material in the public right-of-way.
With this difference understood, in considering the way the current bulky item programs function for SFRs and MFRs, staff evaluated three potential alternatives:
1. Modify the Commercial Bulky Program
FHs were presented with concerns over the bulky program in Glendale during the January 14, 2026, hauler meeting, and asked for feedback or variations on their bulky 10b5
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programs in other communities. All four FHs stated that providing any level of free service for bulky item programs for commercial customers is unique to Glendale and that commercial accounts are almost always charged for any level of bulky collection service.
FHs proposed potential modifications to the current commercial bulky item program to address differences between small and large MFR properties, which are currently limited to four free pickups per year regardless of size. One option would be to negotiate a structure allowing one free pickup per MFR unit annually (e.g. a 30-unit property would receive 30 pickups per year). Another option would be to establish a proportional model, such as one free pickup for every ten units (e.g., a 60-unit property would receive six pickups per year). Transitioning to a unit-based or proportional bulky item allocation would likely increase service levels for larger MFR properties and may require corresponding rate adjustments. A Proposition 218 process would be required if the change results in increased costs or modifies the allocation of costs among ratepayers.
The City Attorney’s office affirmed that modifying the commercial bulky item program to provide unlimited or any other number of pickups per year would require amending the franchise agreements as this is a material term in the agreements.
2. Limit Residential Bulky Pickups
Another alternative is the discontinuation of unlimited pick-ups for residential customers and limiting SFRs pick-ups per year. While this alternative would reduce city costs, it would also reduce service levels for SFR customers and may increase illegal dumping activity. If service costs decrease, existing rate revenues would exceed the cost of providing the reduced level of service, as customers would be paying for a service no longer offered. This imbalance would be evaluated during the next rate study cycle.
3. City Assumes Commercial Bulky Collection
The third alternative would have the city take over the FHs responsibilities for bulky item pick-ups for commercial customers and provide unlimited pick-ups per year. Since Integrated Waste staffing and equipment assets were eliminated when the city franchised the commercial program, expansion of the city’s responsibilities to include a bulky and abandoned collection programs for the franchise accounts would involve re- investing in additional staff and equipment resources. Staff determined that this alternative would require the purchase of one additional rear loader truck (approximately $400,000), one additional stake bed truck (approximately $120,000), one additional full- time Integrated Waste Truck Operator and four additional full-time Integrated Waste Workers at an annual cost of $714,844, plus additional overhead associated with customer service, supervision and ongoing equipment maintenance. In addition, this alternative would also require amending franchise agreements to remove the service obligations from the haulers.
Each alternative presents operational, contractual, or financial considerations. At this time, staff recommend maintaining the current program structure.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
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No additional outreach was performed related to this report on Bulky Item Collection Services.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This item is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) and, therefore, an environmental review is not required.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1. Do not approve a motion to note and file this report.
2. The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Daniel Hernandez, Director of Public Works
Prepared by:
Daniel Hardgrove, Assistant Director of Public Works
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
None